Tales of Symphonia:Second Chance
by Raenef the 6th
Summary: What if Lloyd had a chance to fix everything he did wrong? What if he accidentally screws it up more? Read to find out! *ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, PENDING DELIBERATION ON STORY PROGRESS*
1. Chapter 1

This is a new story I decided to try, considering that no one has tried this angle yet. The main idea behind it is that when Lloyd goes to restore the great seed, something wrong happens and he gets sent back to the beginning of the journey. Yes, all the way to Iselia. Now, all we can do is sit back and watch to see if he loses his sanity because now he knows everything that's going to happen. Oh, wait, he's already insane….oh well. There may also be references from my list, so keep an eye out for them!

And now, Disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th owns nothing involving Tales of Symphonia, except for his own stories and ideas.

Damn right! Now on to the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

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**Space between Derris Kharlan and Symphonia**

This was it. All of the group's efforts had come to this. From leaving Iselia, to obtaining the Eternal Sword and defeating Mithos, every sacrifice and every moment of pain had led to this. As Lloyd flew to the seed, flying due to the wings he had obtained from Mithos, he reflected on all he had done. Restoring Luin, defeating Abyssion and Sword Dancer, even going as far as to defeat the demons of Niflheim. Not to mention the emotional trauma of learning his father was Kratos, a 4000 year old angel who had nearly killed him and his friends, but ended up eventually helping them to succeed.

Down below, his friends and allies all watched as he flew. Each wishing with all their might that he would be successful in his attempt. To some, he had proven a life changing friend; to others he was an unstoppable force of goodness that defended his friends. One person, whose name need not be mentioned, even considered him higher than that. But for now, all minds and wills were focused on Lloyd, hoping for the best while they stood to the side.

As Lloyd came to a stop in front of the seed, he surveyed the area around him. Derris-Kharlan was above, Symphonia below, with plenty of Mana to sustain the necessary revival of the two worlds' hope. The Mana was so dense and thick, that Lloyd could hardly see all that was around him. Regardless, he summoned up the Eternal Sword to his side, and prepared to revive the seed.

"Almighty Eternal Sword, I ask you this one request. Use the mana around me to revive this seed, so that both worlds may flourish and no longer sacrifice needlessly. Please!" Lloyd exclaimed as he pointed the Eternal Sword at the Great Seed.

I will try. However, to do this will require a great force of strength; you may not survive once it's complete. I will ask you one last time: Are you sure you wish to do this?

"I said I was going to do it, so I'm going to do it. Now, let's do this!" Lloyd stated. He focused his energy into the sword and aimed it at the seed. "NOW!!" He shouted, and a great burst of light shone, blinding everyone who was present.

The mana began to swirl, forming a whirlpool around Lloyd and the seed. Lloyd felt it tug on him slightly, but ignored the sensation and focused on the seed. The seed began to react immediately, beginning to regain its bright bluish-green color. Its petals began to unclamp from each other and began to stick out. To be honest, it looked like someone was inflating a float than reviving an endless source of mana.

"Yes, its working! It's actually working!" Lloyd exclaimed, not noticing that he was slowly edging towards the core of the whirlpool of mana...

After his friends had recovered from the flash, they too observed that the seed was being revived. They were all overjoyed that it was working, save one blue-haired half-elf who was still watching with a look of concern on his face. Kratos walked up, and noticing his face, questioned him.

"What's wrong, Yuan? Isn't everything going as planned?"

Yuan didn't take his eyes off the seed as he responded. "I don't know. Everything seems to be going right; it's just that I can't shake off this feeling that something's going to go wrong." Using his angel senses, Yuan decided to get a better view of what was going on up there. What he saw immediately caused him to consider the fact that he was incorrect for once, but it seemed that Lloyd was edging closer and closer to the seed, almost as if he was being sucked in.

"Kratos. Stand here and using your senses, tell me what you see happening up there." He said as he scooted out of the way to make room for Kratos. Kratos enhanced his sight as Yuan had done and audibly gasped from what he saw. "Oh, no. This can't be happening! Not now!" He yelled, sounding like what would be considered fear, something that Kratos hasn't been known for using.

"What is it? What's wrong up there?" Yuan asked. If there was a problem that would involve possibly stopping the revival of the seed, they would have to act quickly if they were going to save it and Lloyd.

Kratos slowly turned to face Yuan, fear visible in his eyes and easily seen from the shaking tremors of his body. "It's Lloyd. He's being sucked in, and we can't do anything about it!"

Yuan's face was struck with shock, and he asked "What do you mean, 'we can't do anything about it!'"

Kratos turned back to look up at the whirlpool of mana that had swallowed up Lloyd and the seed. To the others, it would merely look like the effects of the revival, but to Kratos and Yuan, they could see that Lloyd had started to struggle against the pull of the seed. "If we try to interfere, not only do we risk harming the seed and Lloyd, we also risk getting sucked up ourselves!" Torn between the obligation to save his son and saving the world, the seraphim could only watch as his son struggled against the vortex.

Meanwhile, back up in space, Lloyd was beginning to have a difficult time resisting the pull of the vortex around the seed. It had popped up after the seed was about halfway through the transformation. The vortex itself looked as if it had been drawn with a pencil for the outline. Inside the hole, one could see a bright, white tunnel with flashes of black jetting across every few seconds. It was pretty matched up, with the seed moving him closer to the vortex and him flying back out of its grip. But it was obvious that he was fighting a losing battle, as the vortex was starting to pull him closer and with increasingly stronger force.

"Dammit! Is there no way out of this?! Origin, if you can still hear me, can you try to explain to me what's going on here?!"

Even I cannot say for certain what is happening here. The vortex itself is not life-threatening as far as I can judge, but I do not know what will happen if you are absorbed. Can you pull yourself out of there?

"I don't think so. I haven't got the strength to do it. Most of my energy was sent into reviving the seed." Lloyd responded, feeling himself grow weaker as he spoke. He could tell that he wouldn't last much longer against the pull. With thoughts quickly racing through his mind, he quickly realized that this may put his friends' life in danger, and he decided definitely not to allow this while he still had some power. "You said this wasn't life-threatening, right?"

That is correct. It is not life-threatening.

"If I were to enter this vortex, would it close afterwards?"

Yes, it would. It would either have to absorb you or the seed to be sufficed.

Realizing he had no choice, he then made a final plea to the King of the Summon Spirits. "Origin, if you are still around after this, tell my friends I wish them the best of luck in the new world." After saying this, he stopped resisting, and instead charged at the vortex with all his might. Once he crossed through, the vortex vanished, leaving only the great seed there.

Back on the ground, after everyone was informed of the situation, their joy quickly turned to worry, then anguish as they saw him plunge into the vortex. Kratos himself was on the verge of tears, realizing now the position Lloyd was in long ago when Remiel asked him if he wanted to save Colette or the world, and the emotional pain that came with that decision. After it vanished, Kratos finally had to grip a reality that he once adopted long ago. His son was gone from his hands, and his fate was no longer to be known to him.

**Vortex tunnel/Iselia**

Flying through the tunnel, Lloyd saw what appeared to be flashes of memories of the past in front of him. Images of rescuing Colette in the Tower of Salvation, saving Genis and Raine after they were arrested in Meltokio, protecting Sheena from Volt. These and many more images all flashed by him as he flew, not knowing where this new path would take him. Eventually, there was another flash of light, and Lloyd threw his hands in front of him to shield his eyes. When he could see again, he opened them only to quickly close them and roll his body into a ball so as to break his fall on what appeared to be solid ground. When he landed, he successfully rolled, but unfortunately rolled right into the path of many trees.

After shaking his head to clear the stars that had appeared in front of his eyes, he stood up and shook himself off while looking at his current location. He was standing at the edge of what he guessed was a forest and was looking out at a field in front of him. It looked similar to the one he used to see back home in Iselia when he went through the forest to get home to Dirk's house. It even had the same type of tall grass growing that swayed in the wind, colored with a yellowish sheen.

Looking at himself, he did a quick body check to make sure everything was still there. His body was still the same, albeit slightly shaking after all that had just happened to him. He decided to test his memory to make sure he wasn't mentally hurt. After reciting all the Dwarven vows, he was certain his mind was unaffected as well. He started walking around when he noticed that the added weight of his Material Blade, the Flamberge and Vorpal Edge, was much lighter than it should be.

Drawing them out, he was shocked to see that he was now wielding wooden swords, the same wooden swords that he used for training before he went on the journey. This was impossible, due to the fact he had sold them so he could purchase the knight Sabers back in Triet. This also meant that his connection to Origin was most likely lost.

Can you hear me, pact-maker Lloyd?

Tilting his head up, Lloyd thought he was hallucinating for a moment. That or he was still suffering from hitting his head against the tree. Deciding to see what was real or not, he called out "Origin, is that you? Can you hear me?"

Ah, Lloyd. You're all right. I was worried that the vortex would have harmed you or had an effect on you. You are all right, aren't you?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Whew, that's a relief. I almost thought I was hearing crazy voices in my head." Lloyd stated, then quickly caught what he said and added "Not that I think you are crazy or anything like that. I would never think of you that way."

It's all right Lloyd. It wouldn't be the first time someone thought I was a crazy voice in their head. When I first made the pact with Mithos, he nearly went berserk and almost killed Kratos. It took him and Yuan a week to convince him I was not an illusion.

Putting aside the fact that this may have been the reason why Mithos acted like a crazy lunatic, Lloyd decided to find out more about what had happened to him. "So what caused that vortex back there to open up? It wasn't me, was it?"

No, I believe what happened was this. You remember seeing all the mana around you before you attempted the revival, correct?

Lloyd thought for a moment before remembering the scene. "Yeah, I remember now. There was so much of it visible that I could hardly see outside the area around me and the seed."

Well, I think that the mana was so built up that it reached a dangerous level to where it would react violently to the Eternal Sword's power. In this case, the reaction was the vortex.

Lloyd absorbed this information, and then proceeded with his questioning. "So where am I now anyway? It looks familiar to the fields outside of my hometown of Iselia."

That's just it. You're back at Iselia. That's where the vortex dropped you off at. It's just that there's something you should know about where you are.

"What is it? Not like you're going to tell me I've been sent back in time to before the journey. That'd be completely ludicrous."

Well, you see, I'm afraid that's exactly the situation you're in now.

Lloyd just stood there in response. He stood there for a good two minutes in complete silence before Origin tried to get him to talk again. Um, Lloyd? Are you okay in there?

"You're joking right? I mean, really, if this is a joke, then I'll admit it. You got me Origin. Haha. Now really, what happened?"

I just told you. You are in the past now, before the journey begun. It's the same as if nothing happened at all and it was all a dream. That is, aside from the fact that I'm talking to you now and you have all the memories of it happening.

Lloyd stood there for a moment in silence again before saying "Could you excuse me for a moment? There's something I need to do real quick."

Oh, sure. Go right ahead.

With that, Lloyd walked off a few yards away into the forest before vanishing from sight. There was complete silence for a few seconds before a sudden "GODDESSDAMMIT!" rang out through the woods. Anyone who heard it either covered their ears at the loudness, or scowled at the thought that someone would insult the goddess Martel. Lloyd then walked back out, looking slightly more relaxed than before.

Are you all right now?

Lloyd sat down on a nearby rock and said "Yeah, a little bit. So how'd that happen, me getting sent back in time?"

If I didn't know better, I'd say it's because of the mana's reaction again. It must have responded to the reversed growth of the seed by creating a wormhole for you to fly into.

Lloyd sighed and closed his eyes. One could easily see that Lloyd was in a pretty bleak situation. He had no Eternal Sword, was stuck in the past, and apparently had no way back. If anything, the only thing he could do now was go through the journey again. However, at the same time that this saddened him, he suddenly realized something else: opportunity. He could use the knowledge of what will happen to change events than how they occurred.

He opened his eyes and said "Origin, since I'm in the past again, does that mean I could possibly change things than how they originally happened?"

Origin sat in silence a moment before answering technically, you can. Since you were sent back to the past, it rewound everything. You actually could do just about anything, to be honest.

"Well, then. That makes things a little better. Heck, it makes them a lot better." Lloyd said, images flashing through his mind of situations he always wanted to change. He wouldn't change anything too dramatically, but that doesn't mean he couldn't change things to make it better for everyone.

He stood up and said "Well, now what? I would assume that I need to resume things like I did before, right?"

That would probably be the best thing to do for now. Who knows, there may come a time when the vortex opens again and sends you back. Until then, just do what you did last time, except for all the mistakes and screw-ups if you can.

"Sounds good to me. Guess the first thing to do would be to head back to Dad's house to see what day it is. Then I can figure out what to do then. You'll still be around, right?"

Of course I will. You are bound to me as I am bound to you. Just make sure not to do too much Lloyd.

And on that note, Lloyd turned and walked into the forest to the direction he knew to be towards his stepfather Dirk's house. As he walked, he began to think of things he would do differently now. It almost seems like a second chance to do the right thing instead of screwing up. _Hmm, one thing I know I'll need to do is make sure not to get caught at the ranch and get Iselia burned down. That's a definite note. And next I can…_

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Author's notes: Oh, geez. I've done it now. What could Lloyd possibly want to do so differently? Some obvious things I know, but some others may come as a surprise to you. Read and Review to find out! 


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, time for the humorous chaos to resume. Judging by the amount of attention this story already has, I guess you already like it, so I'll keep going while you keep reading. I can only wonder what Lloyd is planning to do now that the journey has restarted. And now, disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th does not own Tales of Symphonia, no matter how much he wishes he did. But he does own his own crap.

Me: Yep! Hey, wait a minute. What do you mean crap?

Kratos: Uhh… I mean its good crap?

Me: Oh, well all right then. On with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

* * *

Lloyd is now found sitting in his room, after finding out from his dad that it was tomorrow that he had school and that he had today off. So he decided to go upstairs and plot-err, I mean, plan, what he is going to do. In front of him, he had a small list of things he had compiled together of ideas. It follows as such:

_Prank the mayor for being a racist idiot._

_Somehow get on Kratos' good side so he doesn't try to kill you._

_Avoid getting slapped by Raine. If Genis gets slapped, then that's his problem, not mine._

_Do not get caught at the ranch. Setting the village on fire doesn't do much for being friendly with everyone._

_Remember to resist urge to kill Remiel when you see him._

The list continued onward for awhile after that, showing Lloyd had given it some thought as to what he wanted to change. Thankfully, he had Origin there to help him figure all this out. He is still Lloyd, after all. While talking however, a thought occurred to Lloyd about how he's still talking to him. When he asked, Origin replied,

Well, I suppose since I'm bonded to you, then I guess I'm leaking through the seal. I don't think Kratos will sense it, though. After 4000 years, he got lazy with it and lost track of it.

Putting aside the surprise that his father was actually lazy instead of almost perfect, Lloyd decided to get some rest, seeing as how he had a lot to do tomorrow. Now, Lloyd wouldn't plot-er, plan anything too dangerous, folks, seeing as how Origin rejected the idea of feeding the mayor to the rabid wolves and rabbits and making it look like he went of his own accord. But that doesn't mean it won't be just as satisfying.

The next morning, Lloyd woke up early so as to get a head start on the mischief. Yes folks, Lloyd is actually acting efficient for once. Picking up his materials for the day, Lloyd headed out, being careful not to awaken his father with the jingling of his bag of tricks.

Proceeding quickly into the village, Lloyd immediately headed over to the mayor's house so his life can immediately become a living hell. Now, Lloyd isn't one to hold a grudge against people. He usually forgives them for ticking him off and moves on. That or he kills them for ticking him off.

But the mayor is a special case. Lloyd remembered that the mayor was cruel to half-elves, especially Genis and Raine. He even went as far as to blame them for the desians attacking, which ticked him off. Seeing as Lloyd couldn't kill him, he had to settle for merely a grudge. But now, Lloyd gets his revenge for what happened.

Sneaking into the mayor's house, Lloyd quickly checked to see if he was awake yet. He was answered by the loud snoring of said mayor. Lloyd snickered at the thought of his prank, but kept it quiet so as not to disturb him. Opening his bag, he pulled out a simple jar of glue with a brush. Going over to his different everyday objects, he quickly unscrewed the lid and proceeded to cover whatever handles and basic surfaces he could. When the mayor awakes, he's going to have one interesting morning.

After applying the glue, Lloyd left the home and proceeded to the rest of the town. Another stop was by the school, before Raine would get there. Arriving inside, Lloyd was almost compromised by the janitor of the building, but blew it off saying he's doing the Professor a favor.

Proceeding to the classroom, Lloyd reflected about how life seemed to be so simple before today. When he came here usually in the past, he thought it as a bore, seeing as how he wouldn't try to learn anything due to a short attention span known to everyone but him. Now that he's experienced all the adventures and drama, he almost wondered what it would have been like if it hadn't happened. Would he have lived a normal life under fear of the desians?

Deciding to put these thoughts away for later, Lloyd proceeded with the task at hand. Walking around the classroom, he noticed that behind the podium was the stack of books they used to learn. Lloyd immediately decided to trash these books seeing as how they wouldn't need them today due to the Oracle. After throwing them in the trash, Lloyd instead replaced them with books all about the Dwarven vows instead. However, Lloyd knew he would be implicated for it, so taking back out the books, he decided to swap the covers so as to cover his tracks.

He would have almost gotten away with it, had it not been for the interruption of one well-known midget mage who always reports early to school. When he walked in, he noticed Lloyd sitting next to the podium with one stack of books behind him.

"Lloyd? Is that you? What are you doing here?" Genis asked, puzzled that his friend was actually on time for school, and had even gone as far as to beat him here. Not your usual Lloyd behavior.

Lloyd instantly shot up at being caught in the middle of his prank. This did, unfortunately, result in him hitting the inside of the podium. "OUCH!" Lloyd exclaimed, holding his head in pain. Turning around, he expected to see Professor Raine and prepared to be beaten. Instead, he saw Genis with a surprised look on his face.

"Uh, hey Genis! What are you doing here?" Lloyd asked nervously, scooting the books behind him so as not to be caught. But Genis' eyes caught the words Dwarven vows before they vanished and instantly put on a face of irritation, looking frighteningly like his sister.

"I always come to school early, you know that. What are you doing with those Dwarven vows books? I don't recall them being part of Raine's lesson." He answered. Lloyd stood up and racked his mind for a good excuse.

"Uh…oh yeah! Your sister wanted me to bring these today. She said something about a bonus quiz or something like that." Lloyd really hoped he bought that, because he didn't want to have to explain his new delinquent behavior. The heavens appeared to take favor to Lloyd fortunately, as Genis immediately changed from angry to panic.

"Oh Man! I can't believe this! Raine didn't tell me about any new material today! I've gotta study! Quick, hand me a book!" Genis exclaimed, throwing his stuff on his desk and getting out paper to take notes. Lloyd threw him an untouched book, praising Martel that he had bought it. Lloyd quickly picked back up the remaining books and went to his seat.

**Later that day**

After everyone else had arrived and class had settled, Lloyd decided that he might as well act normal, seeing as how he didn't want to arouse suspicion of his actions. Class proceeded as normal, with Lloyd not knowing the answer and getting an eraser in his face for slacking off, then having Genis answer the question instead. Throughout the class, however, Lloyd noticed Genis had become increasingly worried as time past. The little guy really has a high standard for his grades, after all. If he didn't, he'd be, well, Lloyd, except able to cast magic. Lloyd decided to let him in on the prank, so as to ease the magician's fears.

At lunch break, Lloyd sat at his usual table with Genis and Colette each with their own lunches. They sat and talked about general things, like how everyone was doing and what was going on. As Lloyd sat there, he realized that if he had stayed here, it probably would have been boring. He sat there and zoned out for awhile until Genis decided to get his attention by throwing a tomato at his face. Once he calmed down after panicking about evil tomato's and how they're trying to kill him, he asked Genis what's up.

"That surprise quiz is what's up! Do you know when Raine's supposed to pull it out?" Genis answered nervously, looking in his sister's direction.

Lloyd drew himself up so as to answer while silently chuckling about his best friend's fear of his older sibling. He wondered why there wasn't a social services program so Genis could seek help, then asked himself what the hell a Social Service was and how he thought of it.

"Well, she didn't say when she was going to give it. Maybe she's going to give us it another time?" He replied. To be honest, Lloyd was starting to think it was a bad idea to switch the books, remembering painful memories when he ticked off Raine before. He especially reflected on the incident where he had to show the class an example of crafting and caught one of Raine's books on fire. She had sat there for a full minute, allowing the book to burn while everyone stared in fear, wondering what the repercussions would be, Lloyd included. 5 seconds later, the whole village was answered by Lloyd and his screaming of apologies while Raine had chased him with a broomstick saying he had destroyed her precious.

Shuddering at the memory, he refocused on the conversation in time to hear Colette say "I didn't know there was a quiz today! When did she tell you, Lloyd?"

Jumping at his name being said, Lloyd found himself being stared at by his two friends waiting for an answer. Sweating a bit from their intense stares, he stuttered out "Um, yesterday in passing? Yeah that's it, she told me to bring the books while I was uh, shopping for groceries for dad!" He smiled, hoping his fake excuse was good, considering he hadn't done anything yesterday except get warped to the past and going home. He hadn't needed to worried, seeing as how they settled back in their chairs with a satisfied expression.

Thinking about it now, Lloyd decided he was too deep in to pull out now, so he just forgot about telling Genis about the prank. For the rest of the period, they forgot about the quiz, seeing as how they were entertained by an image of the mayor running around town with random objects attached to his hands and nightclothes, screaming "Help me! I'm being attacked in my own home! Somebody help me!" He eventually came to a stop after someone poured hot water on him to get the glue off, only to resume running, now in pain, due to the boiling temperature of the water. Today was just not his day…

**Even later**

The class had resumed after everyone had settled down after laughing at the mayor's dilemma. Lloyd looked outside so as to see what time it was when he caught a glimmer in the hills. Moving closer to the windows, he could see the light seem to stand still near the Martel temple, then shot straight up, causing a huge flash of light to burst forth, blinding him and everyone in the classroom. Lloyd merely settled for closing his eyes while everyone else screamed, with someone exclaiming "It's the end of the world! Martel help us all!"

After the light faded off, Raine immediately yelled "Everyone settle down!" With that command, everyone immediately shut up. Well except for that one "End-of-the-world" kid. He almost resumed yelling until a random dictionary was thrown in his face, knocking him out. Raine then stated, "It's merely the oracle. Everyone wait here while I go check it out." She then proceeded to the door, but stopped when Colette said "Wait, Professor! I'll go too!"

The professor quickly turned around to face Colette and said "No, Colette. If it is indeed the Oracle, the priests will come for you, understand?" Looking back at everyone else, she added, "The rest of you can study while I'm gone." And ran off with what looked like an eager expression. Lloyd recognized that look as her ruin-mode face, so he chose not to raise a voice until she left.

After a few minutes in which Lloyd figured was enough time for the professor to get there and forget about her students, Lloyd got up from his seat and walked over to Genis. When Genis looked up, he stated "I'm going to go check out the temple. If it really is the Oracle, I'm not gonna miss it. And before you say it, I know you're sister said to stay here and study. Just consider this research." This last bit was added when Genis obviously wanted to object to disregarding his sister's commands-er, I mean, requests.

Genis then stood up with him and responded with "All right then. But if you're going, then I'm going too. I'm not about to miss out on it either."

Lloyd smiled and nodded his approval before turning to Colette. Lloyd just hoped that Colette wasn't really as ditzy as he remembered her from the beginning. If she was, then this might be harder than he thought. "Colette, you want to come along too?" Unfortunately, this time, the heavens lost to Colette, seeing as how when she heard him, she responded by getting up and tripping over her chair. Lloyd decided to hold back his laughing as a mark of their friendship. Genis just sighed and shook his head, apparently at a loss as to how a would-be chosen one like her could be so clumsy.

She quickly got up, her face red from embarrassment, and replied, "Do you mean to go to the Temple? Sure, I'll go with you." Lloyd also nodded at her and walked out the door. As he walked outside, he noticed Frank was approaching quickly. Not wanting to have to put up with an argument about whether or not they should go, he quickly turned around and exclaimed to the others, "Hey, let's hurry up. I don't want to miss anything and end up meeting Raine on the way there." The other two acknowledged his statement by running towards the village exit towards the temple with Lloyd right behind them. Right as he passed the gate, Lloyd looked back to see Frank going into the school. They had managed to elude him successfully.

"Sorry, Frank. No hard feelings, but I don't feel like talking right now." Lloyd whispered to himself with a sly smile, and then ran off to catch up with the others.

On the way however, they came across trouble in the form of a pack of wolves. They were quickly dispatched however, when Lloyd decided to speed up the fight by performing a couple of Super-Sonic Thrusts instead of his usual demon fang. He was fortunate enough that Origin told him he didn't have to relearn all of his techniques, though he should be careful not to overdo it in case he does get in a fight. Otherwise, Lloyd thought, this journey would have a lot less opportunities for him to show up people, and he thought this with certain people in mind. (coughKratoscough)

When they finally arrived at the temple, Lloyd quickly remembered something that had caused him to be irked with irritation. When they first came through the Temple, their presence was given away by Phaidra, even though she was only trying to protect them. However, Lloyd thought, giving away their location in front of people who were trying to kill them was not protecting them at all; it was actually putting them in danger. Keeping this in mind, one could understand when Lloyd decided to have Colette stay back for a few minutes.

"But why do you want me to hide for? I'm supposed to go up there aren't I?" Colette questioned, curious to Lloyd's new behavior. Usually, when it came to matters about being the chosen, Lloyd had stayed out of her way and let her make the decisions. This new attitude of protecting her from her own rightful place puzzled Colette.

Lloyd turned to her with a stern face. He almost wished he could just knock her out and be done with it, but that just wouldn't be Lloyd, now would it?

"I know Colette, but I have a feeling that you should hide for the time being. Don't worry; it's just for a few minutes. I'll call for you when you can come back out." Lloyd responded. Yeah, a _very _strong feeling.

Colette thought it over for a moment, and then responded "All right. Just be careful if you think there's going to be trouble up there." She then proceeded to one of the few small storage houses along the staircase and hid inside. Lloyd quickly memorized which one she was in, and then proceeded up to the temple.

When Lloyd and Genis arrived at the top, Lloyd was instantly glad he had made that decision. There was a few bodies over to one side, a mix of priests and desians. _No wait_, he corrected himself, _not desians. These are the Renegades_. Standing in front of the entrance was Phaidra, with Botta and two other soldiers standing in front of her. Phaidra was still trying to dissuade them, Lloyd thought, meaning they still had the element of surprise.

Telling Genis to stay back, Lloyd silently drew his blades and waited for the right moment. When one of the Renegades finally shuffled to cover him from Phaidra's view, Lloyd took the chance. Leaping up the rest of the steps, Lloyd immediately rushed forward and aimed for the soldier on the left. Raising his blades upward, he brought them down aiming for the pressure point located between the shoulder and neck. Kratos himself had taught him this trick, in case he was caught in a fight and didn't desire to wound his opponent. By the time the Renegade had taken notice, it was too late. The wooden blades connected right on the point, causing the soldier to stiffen, then crumple to the ground unconscious.

This, of course, drew the attention of Botta and Phaidra. After all, if you ran up to a group of people and knocked one of them out with one blow, you'd either be surprised or angered. Thus it was understood when Botta exclaimed angrily "Just what the hell do you think you're doing boy?!" While Phaidra merely settled for a gasp. The other soldier tried to take him out, but one should know better than to take on the eternal swordsman alone.

Charging at the boy, the Renegade swiped a simple downward cut aiming for the boy's chest with his sword. Lloyd dodged left, then brought the hilt of his sword forward and rammed it into the fighter's stomach, causing him to drop his sword and wheeze trying to draw air, clenching at his stomach. Lloyd then stood up and rapped him hard on the head with the hilt again, knocking him out cold.

Botta was in shock. Not only had this child snuck up on his group, he had taken out his two guards without breaking a sweat. He realized he was going to need backup, so he reached for his hidden radio in his side pocket. He almost reached it, but was stopped by a blade pointed at his neck.

"Sorry, but I don't think you'll be calling for backup anytime soon. Pull it out of your pocket, now." Lloyd commanded, and used his other sword to make his point. (Dammit, made a pun)

Botta slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out said Radio. "Now, put it on the ground." Lloyd stated calmly, as if this was an everyday thing. Then again, having already screwed up once is quite the lesson teacher.

Botta then put the radio on the ground, while keeping a wary eye on the sharp edge pointed at his throat. Lloyd then brought his foot up and smashed the technology to pieces. If Raine had seen that, Lloyd thought, he probably would be knocked out as cold as the guys on the floor. He then pulled his sword away from Botta's throat, but still kept it out in case he tried something he wasn't ready for.

"Now get out of here while I still feel merciful. And make it quick before I change my mind." Lloyd stated coldly, looking directly in Botta's eyes, causing Botta to feel like the temperature just dropped thirty degrees. He then ran off and down the steps, especially eager to escape from the scene. He then also made a mental note; To find out all he could about him, so as not to be off-guard next time.

Lloyd sheathed his swords, feeling very pleased with himself. He had just taken out two Renegades and frightened Botta, and he wasn't even tired. If anything, he felt even more energetic. He turned to face Phaidra, who was still wearing an expression of shock and said "What? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Phaidra quickly attempted to gain her composure, but was still shocked enough to make it look like she was merely coffee-hyper. "How…how did you do that?"

Lloyd just merely shrugged and replied "Uh…good reflexes?"

Lloyd was saved from having to give a proper explanation however, by the interruption/appearance of Colette and Genis. They immediately ran up to Lloyd, obviously concerned seeing as how he went up there alone. "You aren't hurt are you? We saw someone run by and we thought something happened." Colette asked, worry filling her eyes. Lloyd smiled and replied "No, it's all good. Those guys didn't even lay a finger on me."

Lloyd felt like bragging a little bit, but didn't want to let his ego go to his head, so he decided to let it go. Hearing another person approach, Lloyd immediately shifted his gaze to the staircase as did the others. As the person approached, Lloyd put his hand to his blades, in case Botta had somehow called for back-up, but put them down when he saw it was Kratos approaching. Walking up to them after surveying the area, he questioned "Who did all this and sent that man running? I heard there was trouble up here." He turned to Lloyd. "Was it You?"

Lloyd immediately turned to face him, covering his expression of glee with a face that belonged to a true warrior. "Yes, that was me. If you came here to try and help out, I'm afraid you were a bit too late."

* * *

Author's notes: Oh Yeah! Lloyd is officially a bad-ass! (hands Lloyd a diploma) Congratulations! You are officially cool!

Lloyd: (throws his fist in the air) Heck yeah, Baby! Who's the man?

Me: To see more of Lloyd's new attitude, stay tuned for the next installment of Second Chance. Until then, Read and Review!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes: Time for chapter 3! I have to admit, this is pretty fun to write. There are so many different things I could get Lloyd to do, though I'll admit the pranking thing was a little odd and out of place. My special thanks to Kyogre, who has been offering advice on my story on things I missed. Thanks pal! Of course I intend for Lloyd to stop Colette from becoming an angel, but it's gonna take some time to do it. Don't worry, it will be good. Oh, and lets just say that for this chapter, Lloyd's luck is going to run out on him. And now, disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, no matter how much he wants to.

Me: (sadly) yep, it's true. I thought I could save enough money to buy it, but it wasn't enough. (Suddenly changes to happy) Oh well! On with the story!

* * *

Lloyd and co. had proceeded into the temple after discussing who would guard Colette on the way there. Surprisingly, Phaidra wanted Lloyd to go and guard Colette instead of Kratos. Lloyd accepted immediately, but asked Kratos to accompany him as well. He was his father, after all. He owed him that much. The only problem was that Lloyd was the only one who wasn't suspicious of Kratos, while everyone else seemed to be on their toes around him. Being big, tough, and mysterious just doesn't pay off anymore, does it?

However, that's not to say that Lloyd wasn't being slightly cautious as well. He had remembered how Kratos had manipulated Colette into becoming an angel the first time around. But now that Lloyd was informed, he was figuring out ways around the manipulation.

_The only problem is how to do it without letting him catch on and be suspicious. I could ask Origin if he can summon up the Eternal Sword for me, but then I'd have to explain to everyone how I got it, so that wouldn't work. Maybe I could destroy the Cruxis Crystal? No, I can't. If I do that, Colette will hate me for doing it. Man, this is tougher than I first thought it would be._

Lloyd decided to put away the thought for now and focus on the matter at hand: getting Colette through the temple. He knew he could easily take on any monster that came forth to fight, but the others might get hurt due to their inexperience. Well except for Kratos, but no one else knows he's over 4000 years old.

They had reached the main area of the temple where the pedestal holding the Sorcerer's ring could be found, and decided to have a look at it. While everyone else looked at it, Lloyd kept an eye out for the golem that was supposed to appear to attack them. He knew that Colette would walk over to it, and that would put her in danger. Looking around one last time, he turned back to look at the Sorcerer's Ring. He probably would have kept staring if he hadn't noticed that there was one missing from their troupe. Turning quickly, he noticed that Colette had already started walking towards the golem.

"Colette, look out!" Lloyd yelled as he ran towards her to defend her. The golem, apparently roused by the yell and the presence of the human next to it, did what apparently every golem as well as human did when woken up from sleep: he pulled his hand back to swat them away. Lloyd, realizing what was going to happen, quickly dived to push Colette out of harm's way. However, though he successfully moved her away, he forgot a tiny detail: the hole in which their supposed to push the boulders down.

He tried to flail his arms up and down as if to fly, but ended up falling to the floor below, yelling as he went. Fortunately, he landed on his front side on the solid floor instead of falling into the shadowy crypts below. He then lay still for a moment to try and let the pain ebb away, looking sort of like a character that had just been flattened by a steamroller. Picking himself up, he noticed that he wasn't injured, just sore. He was relieved at this, yet slightly confused as to how it happened seeing as how there was now a distinct imprint of his body on the ground. This imprint would later be known as "The fall of the fool" as labeled by the church and would be a good attraction to visitors to come. But that's not what the story's about, so let's get back to our heroes.

_Geez,_ thought Lloyd, _I wouldn't have minded to have had my wings just then. At least nothing's broken._ He made his way back up to the first platform, where everyone else had already fought and transformed the first golem. Walking over to them, he waved his hand to say he was okay. But saying you're okay isn't enough for our little angel Colette. Running over to him, she immediately started spewing apologies like a machine gun. Lloyd put his hand on her shoulder to stop her and let her know he didn't blame her.

"I take it you're alright, then, seeing as how you've recovered so quickly." Kratos stated as Lloyd and Colette walked back.

Putting his hand behind his head to show he was slightly embarrassed, Lloyd replied "Yeah, I'm all right. I guess I overshot my jump a little. You guys alright?" He finished, looking back and forth between Genis and Kratos to see if they've been hurt. To be honest, it looked more like he was comparing their bodies like cattle than checking to see if they're uninjured.

Kratos simply nodded and said "I'm fine." Genis nodded as well to show he was unhurt. They then turned around at the sound of another golem's thumping footsteps, reminding them just where they were and what they had to do. They were quickly surrounded by many golems, each apparently wanting revenge for their fallen brother. Leaping forward, Lloyd and Kratos made quick work of most of the golems, while Genis and Colette provided support from behind them.

A few minutes later, there wasn't a golem in sight, only blocks with which to make the paths below them. Soon enough, the path was constructed and they were at the altar for the ring. Lloyd considered taking it for himself again, but judging by how the others had treated him when he'd done it before, he let it go to Colette. She quickly slipped it on so as to make sure she wouldn't drop it. Yeah right, Colette drop one of the most important items in the entire game on accident. How could that happen?

As they proceeded back to the main entrance area of the temple, Lloyd thought things were going pretty well so far. Well, aside from embarrassing himself by falling down the hole. It would have continued to have been better if Kratos hadn't decided to ask Lloyd where he got his techniques from.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Lloyd asked, wondering why Kratos would ask such a question. The last time he had done it, it was so he could insult his swordsmanship. This time, Kratos just seemed to be curious about him, so Lloyd decided to answer fairly, but still keep quiet that he actually learned it from him, so he answered the best way he knew how: repetition.

"Well, most of my techniques are self-taught. I've also picked up a little from other swordsmen that pass through the village. Other than that, the rest of it's instinct."

Kratos replied by raising an eyebrow and saying "Instinct, is it? So it was instinct for you to attack the soldiers accurately on their bodies to take them out quickly, as well as prevent backup from being called?"

Lloyd felt himself sweat a little. The last thing he wanted was to have his own biological father suspicious of his abilities. He had seen how Kratos had treated people he suspected things of: He set himself against them, which eventually led to their death. Attempting to push these thoughts aside, Lloyd stuttered out nervously "Um, yes?"

Lloyd quickly felt relief spread through him as Kratos nodded his head and stated "Very well. You do seem to have some skill to your swordsmanship, but you still need work if you're going to be so clumsy and fall so easily." This last statement was, of course, in reference to Lloyd's plummet through the gap. Genis and Colette snickered behind them, leaving Lloyd only to growl and turn his face away to hide his embarrassment. "I'm not clumsy…" Lloyd muttered under his breath.

When they finally reached the gate leading to the portal, Colette just simply aimed the ring and seemed to squeeze it. It then shot out a miniature fireball, which, upon impact with the gate, caused it to open. After having their little bout of joy being past the gate, which consisted of Genis and Colette cheering and Lloyd and Kratos standing behind them, both with bored expressions on their face, they proceeded to the portal and up to the top of the temple.

When they arrived, they each took notice of the shining crystal in the middle of the platform in front of them. For Colette and Genis, it was a sing of hope. For Kratos, though he didn't show it but probably thought it, it was a sing of the progress of Mithos' plan. For Lloyd, however, it was a troubling sight to behold. Sitting in front of him was the very source of almost all of his troubles: Colette's transformation, the loss of his mother, the creation of bastards like Remiel who think themselves better than him. He so desperately wanted to just destroy it then and there that he subconsciously put his hand to the hilt of his wooden sword. He knew if he destroyed it, his life would be so, **_so_** much easier, but he also knew it was necessary for the journey. Conflicted by these raging thoughts, Lloyd merely sat there with a slightly disgruntled expression on his face; as if he just tasted something sour.

As Colette walked up to retrieve the crystal, a bright yellow orb floated down form the ceiling. It drifted downward until about halfway between the platform and the ceiling, then shone brightly, partially blinding all who was there. When the glow ebbed away finally, it revealed a blond haired human with wings on his back, garnished with what looked like priestly robes. As Lloyd focused his eyes on him, he felt his rage start to rise up at the sight of another being who had deceived them all: especially since they all had trusted him with helping them on the journey, only to be brutally shot down to reality and having to fight for their lives.

"I am Remiel," The being stated, with his wings flapping behind him, "I am an angel of judgment, sent from heaven to test the prophesied chosen One." Looking down upon the group, his eyes fell on Colette, who immediately straightened herself up to her full height and said "I am her who you seek."

Remiel nodded his head in response to her statement. "So be it, then. With this Cruxis Crystal in hand, do you accept the task set before you?" The crystal then floated over to Colette who then held it in her hands. She closed her eyes and answered "I humbly accept the task set before me." The crystal then seemed to shine in response to her words and attached itself to her neck, taking the form of a small necklace.

As Lloyd watched, he felt his thoughts begin to surface again. He wished that there could've been a better way for her to be considered the chosen instead of that stone of death. But for now, he would have to accept it and deal with the consequences.

Once the crystal settled down, Remiel then spoke, proclaiming out loud "We of Cruxis hereby bless this event, and bestow upon you the tower of Salvation." At his words, everyone turned to the window to watch for the tower, which soon appeared as what looked like a very thin line from their viewpoint.

_Tower of Salvation, my ass. More likely the Tower of Damnation would be a better description_, Lloyd thought angrily, wondering just how bad it would be if they could just knock it down and be done with it. True, everyone would panic at the sight, but better than going through the personal hell of what's inside the tower. Maybe this is what led Rodyle to attempting it.

Remiel then continued after the tower appeared, saying "Now the journey begins. Head to the south towards the Seal of Fire. It is there that you will see me again." He then started to float back up towards the ceiling, but stopped at Colette's cry of "Wait! Please wait a moment!"

Colette then seemed to become apprehensive as she whispered out quietly "Are you really my fath", but was cut off when he replied "Head to the Seal of Fire, my beloved daughter Colette."

As Colette let out a small gasp as did Genis, Lloyd clenched his fists in irritation. _Lying Bastard_ was all he could think as he stared at Remiel, who then took off in his little orb form again and vanished. It made Lloyd slightly curious as to how someone could fit in that little ball. If he had done that, he would have at least have had a sore back. Chasing away the wonders of whether or not Remiel is an invertebrate, Lloyd observed Colette quietly, who seemed to be overjoyed at learning who her actually fake father was.

She then turned around and smiled at Lloyd, saying "Thank you for coming along, and you as well Genis. I want both of you to come by my house later, okay?" Receiving nods in response to her question, Colette stepped into the portal and vanished, then was quickly followed by Kratos, saying he must guide her back to the village, leaving Genis and Lloyd behind.

Genis seemed to be deep in thought, and quickly turned to face Lloyd. "I guess its true then, the rumor of Colette being the daughter of an angel, huh?"

Lloyd was only half listening, looking out the window at the Tower, so his reply was only "Uh-huh, yeah." Genis took notice of his best friend's spacing out, and walked over to Lloyd. "Lloyd, is something wrong?"

He responded by turning to face his friend after looking out the window and quickly put on an expression of happiness. "No, nothing's wrong Genis. Let's just get back to the village." He then followed Genis back to the portal, and both warped down to the bottom floor. However, what they didn't realize is the very hell that Genis knows and fears await them below.

When they arrived, Lloyd was still in thought about what he could do to stop Colette from becoming an angel. He was so deep; he didn't notice that Professor Raine was in front of him, looking at one of the many paintings of angelic scenes portrayed throughout the temple. He kept right on walking, ignorant of Genis' whispered warnings, right into the professor, resulting in him falling to the floor on his back. Opening his eyes to see what he had hit, he quickly wished he hadn't due to the sight of an angry Raine standing over him.

"And just what are you two doing here? You two are supposed to be back at the school!" She raged, walking over to Genis first. The little sorcerer stood no chance against such a powerful force, and only managed to get out "I'm sorry, sis! We didn't mean to!" Before he got picked up roughly by his sister and spanked on his buttocks. It was not a pleasant sight for Lloyd to see, so he closed his eyes. When he heard the smacking finally stop, he opened his eyes to see Genis laying on the ground holding his butt in his hands and an enraged Raine staring at him.

"And as for you! Did you honestly expect to get away with desecrating my books? That wasn't a very smart thing to do, Lloyd." She stated venomously, holding up one of said books. Lloyd gulped, knowing he was in some deep trouble this time. It was one thing to go against Raine's orders, but it was a whole different world when you tampered with her books.

Raine then enacted her punishment by kicking Lloyd into the wall. He hit so hard, that he actually bounced back towards her, allowing her to repeatedly kick him, making it appear she was actually dribbling him like a basketball against the wall with her foot. When she finally stopped, all Lloyd could manage to say was "Ouch," before falling to the ground in pain.

After extracting her revenge against the boys for disobeying her, she then resumed looking at the painting she was observing before, allowing the two males to get up from their beating. "Um, sis? Can we go, please? We're sorry."

Lloyd also apologized, saying "Yeah, professor. I'm sorry that I messed with your books too. So can we go?" Lloyd earnestly hoped there were no consequences after this, because if not, he would never prank again for this entire journey.

Raine stared silently at the painting before sighing. Turning around she gazed at them for a moment before saying "Alright then. Just head home, class is dismissed. Oh, and Lloyd?" she added, looking straight at the swordsman with blazing eyes. "If you ever touch my books again, I'll throttle you! Got that?!"

Lloyd took a step back away from her expression before replying shakily "Yes ma'am. I won't touch your books ever again. Bye!" He then ran out after Genis, who had already fled the scene. He soon caught up with him, since he was waiting outside on the temple's steps. They then walked out, and quickly proceeded back to the village.

Once they arrived, they walked over to Colette's house, and soon enough walked in and had a seat at the table with the mayor, Colette, and the others there. Kratos sat across from Lloyd, while Frank and Phaidra sat on opposite sides of him. The mayor sat at the front, looking slightly disgruntled at their presence. Perhaps he had learned it was Lloyd who had set him up to look like a fool? Regardless, he didn't believe that children should be involved in such things, but re-started up his conversation anyway.

"Ahem. I suppose now we can continue our deciding of who should accompany Colette on her journey. We have already decided Raine and Kratos shall go. Is there any nominations for anyone?"

Phaidra cleared her throat and was given the attention of the group. "Judging by what I saw today at the temple, I would like to nominate Lloyd for another companion." Lloyd, for the second time today, was shocked by Phaidra's words. Before, there had been no consideration to take him along; this time, she wanted him to go with the group. Was his swordsmanship showing that well?

"I understand that you are impressed by the boy's abilities, Phaidra, but that doesn't mean he should go. He is still a child, and children shouldn't be able to handle such a responsibility as arduous as this." The mayor countered, staring at Lloyd with observant eyes.

Lloyd felt himself grow a little irritated at this. If anyone didn't need to be part of this, it was the mayor himself for being such an arrogant bastard. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Colette also to be considered a child as well? Should we postpone the journey merely because you believe only adults should take on this trip?"

The mayor looked angered now, and countered "I'm not saying that at all. Colette is the chosen and must go on the journey immediately. Just because you are her friend does not mean you can just go with her if you please. Besides, I doubt that Kratos wishes to bring kids along, do you not?"

Everyone looked at Kratos, who had his eyes closed ever since Lloyd and Genis' entrance. He remained silent for a few moments before opening his eyes to stare at the table. "It's true; I have no desire to bring children along for this journey. However, I too saw Lloyd's performance today, and am impressed by his skill. If he chose to come, then that is his decision that he is responsible for."

Lloyd felt gratitude rush through him at these words. He was glad that he had said that, because it meant that the mayor really couldn't raise an argument against an experienced Mercenary like Kratos. This was proven true by the mayor's face first showing him being dumbstruck, then his favorite: anger. Leaning back in his chair, he huffed "Fine. Let the boy go. If he get's hurt and wants to quit, don't say I didn't tell you so. This conversation is over." He then walked out and left, leaving everyone else still in their seats. Phaidra cleared her throat to speak and said "Right, then. They'll be leaving at 9 o'clock if you wish to join them, Lloyd. Make certain you are ready."

Lloyd nodded and thanked her and Kratos for their words, then went outside. Genis soon followed after, looking happy as well for his friend. It's true he wasn't invited, but at least his friend was able to go.

"So now what? You gonna go home now?" Genis asked Lloyd. Lloyd considered it for a moment, remembering he wanted to talk to Origin about Colette, but remembered they're supposed to stop by the ranch to talk to Marble. He turned around and said "I guess so, unless you need anything?" All he needs is for Genis to say something and he'll have his way there.

Genis stood there for a moment, eyes shifting around to see if anyone was listening, and spoke to himself for a moment before replying. He knew he could trust Lloyd, but he wasn't sure whether or not he would agree to go with him once he listened to him.

"Well, there is someone I want to go talk to. They live outside the village, though. Think you could go with me to there, and then head home? You don't have to if you don't want to…" Genis trailed off, almost half hoping that he would disagree. He didn't want to get his friend in trouble if he could prevent it.

Lloyd smiled inside, wondering really what could have caused Genis to act so insecure about such things like asking a friend to help him out. He wondered if it had anything to do with Genis not having many friends. Realizing what he had just thought was actually true, Lloyd instantly felt guilty for it. He made a permanent mental note to make sure to fix that.

"Of course I would like to. I didn't even know you had a friend who lived outside of Iselia. Let's go find her, shall we?" Lloyd replied, then he felt himself freeze; he wasn't supposed to have known that at all!

Genis looked happy for a moment before putting on a suspicious face. "How did you know it was a she, Lloyd? This is the first time I'm telling you about her at all."

Lloyd racked his brain for a good excuse. Coming up with nothing to help him, he took a wild shot in the dark. "Um, I guessed?"

Genis stared at him for a moment before walking off towards the exit of the village. "Alright, then. I suppose I can believe that for now. Just make sure to be respectful, all right?"

Lloyd quickly ran up to him to catch up. He was glad that his friend had accepted what he said, or else he probably would have had to explain everything. Now the only problem was figuring out how to do this again without being caught. He wondered if Origin had a plan…

* * *

Author's notes: Wow, this turned out alright, better than I expected at least. I wonder how Lloyd's gonna get past the ranch and Forcystus? To find out, keep on reading! Read and Review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's notes: I'm back with another chapter folks! I'm glad you all like this story so much. It's not easy coming up with this stuff, so keep up the good reviews. Of course, burns are welcome as well if anyone had any complaints about the story. But either one helps the story, so who cares? And now, disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, only Namco does. In fact, I don't even know why I'm still here.

Me: Simple. One, you're my muse to elaborate some humor in the beginning. And two, I have those embarrassing pictures of you at the Christmas reunion party.

Kratos: What pictures? No one had a camera. (Does the shifty-eyes)

Me: You know, the ones showing you under the mistletoe with Ra-

Kratos: (Quickly cover up author's mouth) All right, all right! Just stop talking about it already!

Me: Alright then. On with the show!

EDIT: This chapter has undergone major work, and is different than what was previously here. If you've read this chapter before this edit, re-read it again. If this is your first time, ignore this note.

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

Lloyd and Geniswere currently on their way to the ranch, with Genis leading the way, often stopping to make sure they weren't being followed, and Lloyd in the back. This was helpful to Lloyd, seeing as how he needed to think some more about the upcoming events. Most of these thoughts were directed around not being caught at the ranch, but Lloyd was having some trouble.

For one thing, he remembered that Forcystus already knew his name when he proceeded to destroy Iselia. This meant to Lloyd that he had been caught on camera while rescuing Genis. The problem withthis was that no matter how many times Lloyd racked his memories, he couldn't remember there even being a camera in the first place. The more he thought about it, it appeared less and less likely that this was one event he was going to be able to change. He came to eventually accept this thought with bitterness. If there was anything Lloyd wanted to avoid, it was the unnecessary killing of innocents.

Another problem was Marble, the old lady who was Genis' friend. If there was one event Lloyd was desperate to change, it was her untimely death. If he could pull this off, it was likely that it would help him later when he ran into Chocolat. The only problem with this one was that Genis obtained his exsphere only because she had died. Without it, it was likely that Genis would be put to more risk than before. He also needed it to learn his stronger spells. Otherwise, Genis would be as weak as he was now.

Lloyd sighed and rubbed the bridge on his nose between his index finger and thumb. This was turning out to be very difficult indeed. He was beginning to wonder if Martel herself had set this up. If he was going to have this much intricacy, he was going to need help if he intended to make any changes. He had Origin, but he could only talk to him as afar as he knew. If he was to somehow summon Origin, then it would only cause him to be doomed by having to face Kratos.

Speaking of which, Lloyd pondered, what was up with Kratos? He had acted shocked when Lloyd had defended the temple by himself. Then inside the temple, he acted curious about his abilities and almost seemed suspicious. Heck, knowing Kratos, anything out of the ordinary was suspicious to him. Then again, that is likely his way of showing affection to him without acting as his father. Then, once he had gotten his answers, he assumed his usual cold demeanor. Maybe he's just confused as to what's happening himself.

Lloyd probably would have considered pondering if Genis hadn't finally stopped him by ceasing in front of a fork in the road. He looked up and quickly searched his surroundings to make sure they weren't in any danger, having lost track of where he was. Recognizing the area, he relaxed and turned to Genis. "So this is your stop then?" He asked.

Genis turned to face him and replied "Yep. I have to stop by the ranch. Is that okay with you?"

Lloyd, deciding to feign ignorance, answered "But isn't that against the treaty we signed?"

Genis put on an angry expression before correcting him. "It doesn't matter. The desians have already broken the treaty by attacking Colette anyway!"

Lloyd nodded, acknowledging his words. "All right then. But let's be careful. I don't want to be caught here; it would just cause more trouble."

Genis nodded and began walking towards the ranch path. Lloyd waited a moment before closing his eyes to speak with Origin. _Origin? Are you there?_

Yes, pact-keeper Lloyd. I am here. What is it?

_It's about us going to the ranch. I've tried thinking of ways to avoid getting caught, but I can't come up with anything. Do you have any ideas?_

I too have considered possible situations, but in your current state, they would not work.

_What do you mean, 'my current state'?_

When you were sent back to the past, your body had to undergo a few changes to match the changing conditions. Since your body had to go back in time, it had to revert to a weaker state. It's a rule of time-travel.

_I don't quite understand what you mean. Are you basically saying that I'm as weak as I was when the journey first started?_

Technically, yes. However, there is one key difference in this case. Most people, who have been sent back to the past, or even towards the future, ended up losing their memories or at least some of their intelligence. You, however, managed to keep your memories and intelligence. You also seemed to have been able to keep your developed mana stores. This gives you an incredible advantage in your abilities. Your mind remembers all the techniques you can perform, while at the same time, remembers the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents. Thus, all is not lost.

_So, what you're saying is that I need to retrain my physical body, so it can catch up to my body? It still sounds odd to me, but I'll go along with it. However, I would like an explanation of time-travel and their effects when we get the chance, alright?_

Very well then, I will keep it in mind. As for your current situation, I am afraid that there is no way for you to currently alter the events that will come. However, with time, I'm certain you will be able to.

_Alright, Origin. I guess I'll have to accept it for now. I just hope Genis doesn't become too grievous over Marble's death. I don't like having to carry such a burden on my shoulders._

And with that, Lloyd closed the mental link and proceeded after Genis, who was waiting for him up ahead. Apologizing for the wait, they proceeded to the ranch. As they walked, Lloyd considered telling Genis about the camera problem. Maybe the little genius had an idea that neither he nor Origin could come up with?

When they finally arrived, it almost seemed like a place that basically said "Go away." The walls surrounding the ranch were huge and made out of steel, meant to keep wandering eyes from looking inside and instead running away. On the sides, there were openings for fences that allowed people to see inside. However, there was barbed wire in place, so as to prevent any prisoners from escaping. Genis started to walk to the side of the barbed fences when Lloyd stopped him. "Wait a minute Genis. There's something we need to talk about before going any further."

Sneaking over behind some rocks near the pathway, Lloyd and Genis kneeled down to make sure they were hidden. Genis then turned to face Lloyd and questioned "What is it? If this about you trying to stop me from going, then I'm not going to listen."

Lloyd shook his head in response and answered "It's nothing to do with that. It's just that I don't want to be seen on camera, wouldn't you think?"

This one phrase seemed to strike fear into Genis' mind. He hadn't even considered the possibilities of there being a camera in place over the ranch. He had heard rumors of a new magitetechnology being used by the ranch that allows them to keep a watch on everything that happens outside of the ranch as well as inside. Comprehending this, Genis realized that all the other times he visited Marble, he must have been lucky not to have been caught.

"Okay, but then how do we get in there without being noticed?" Genis asked, thinking that it was now a bad idea to even consider coming here.

Lloyd slowly rose up until his eyes were able to see over the rock. "For now, we look to see if there are any visible cameras on the outside. Once we find them, then we can figure out a way to get past them." Genis nodded and began searching around the area for common placements of cameras. There was one on the far right side, and it rotated only a little bit, meaning they were safe from that one.

Lloyd began to search as well, looking on the left side of the walls to see if there was any. His eyes didn't see anything until they came across the junction bolts between the door and the wall. There was something there, but he was too far away to see it. Straining his eyes, he focused more on the spot, but to no avail. This frustrated Lloyd, making him compulsively think _I wish I could see closer without moving._

Almost immediately in reaction to his thoughts, Lloyd felt mana moving towards his eyes. Closing his eyes and rubbing them, he reopened them to gasp a silent gasp. He could definitely see the camera all right. It was positioned to rotate only a little bit, due to the close space of its area. But what shocked him was that not only could he see the camera, he could also see the very tiny screws that held the maintenance box in place. Straining his eyes again, he could even see slight traces of fingerprints around it.

_What the Hell?! Origin, what's going on? I can see further than I could before!_

Calm down, Lloyd. It appears that the angel senses you acquired have managed to maintain themselves through the time warp. I guess that since you still have your exsphere on that they remained linked to you.

Lloyd was surprised to hear this from Origin. If he had managed to keep the senses of an angel in his body, then what else had he managed to save from being reset? There was certainly going to be a long conversation with Origin when this is over.

"Okay, I think we've found them all. There's one on the left side here, but we can easily get past it if we stay out of its range. There's one on the right side too, isn't there?" Lloyd stated.

Genis nodded and said "There is one, but it's too far away to catch us. By the way, how can you see the one on the right? I've scanned over it twice and I couldn't see it."

Lloyd responded simply "Well, I'm looking at it from a different angle than you, so that's probably why. That, and I've probably ate more vegetables than you have."

This earned Lloyd a Raine-styled smack upside the head, but not quite as strong. After rubbing the sore spot and whining about 'short-tempered mages', he rose up and said "Alright, here we go. You ready?"

Genis also got up and nodded. "I'll lead the way. She should be meeting us over by the farthest corner of the fence. Let's go." He then proceeded to sneak over behind the rocks, taking careful caution to remain out of the camera's range. Lloyd followed suit behind him, making sure there was no guards that could drop in on them. Once they were sure they were past the camera, they proceeded over to the meeting spot.

There was a figure waiting for them when they got there. She had grayish-white hair and was slightly hunched over, wearing one of the prisoner uniforms associated with the ranch. As they walked over, her face seemed to brighten at the presence of the people she knew wouldn't harm her. Turning over to Genis, she whispered "Hello, Genis. Who is your friend here?"

Genis smiled at the elderly person and replied "It's good to see you Marble. This is Lloyd; he's a friend of mine from the village." He then turned to Lloyd and said "Lloyd, this is Marble, the friend I was telling you about."

Lloyd turned to face her and smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Marble." Lloyd's gaze then dropped to her hand, where a key-crestless exsphere lay embedded in her hand. "Hey, Marble, why do you have that exsphere in your hand? Without a key crest, that exsphere will only make you hurt yourself."

Genis turned to Lloyd and asked "What do you mean?" He was curious about the stones he saw on Lloyd's and Marble's hands. He knew that they were supposed to help you become stronger by bringing out your battle capabilities. However, he hadn't heard of anything involving getting hurt by it.

Lloyd turned to Genis and responded "An exsphere only works when it's attached to your skin, that way it can awaken and make you stronger. However, embedding it in your skin without a key-crest would make you sick or hurt. So to prevent that, you apply a key-crest as a mount so as to prevent that from happening."

Marble nodded her head, absorbing the information. "You seem quite knowledgeable in that area, young man. Are you, perchance, a crafteror metal smith?"

Lloyd scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed manner and replied "No, it's just my dad is a blacksmith and I just happen to pick up on a few things. Hey, I know!" Lloyd exclaimed, realizing he could actually do this. "Why don't I ask my dad to make me one, and then I can give it to you? That way, you'll be safe."

Genis nodded and appeared to agree before looking behind Marble and, upon seeing the desians appear, put on a face of fear. Turning to Lloyd he exclaimed "Lloyd! We need to get out of here! The desians are coming!"

Turning to where Genis had looked, Lloyd too recognized the desians and decided not to stick around any longer if they valued their butts. "I'm sorry Marble, but we have to go. We'll try to stop by another time. See you!" Lloyd explained, and then proceeded to push Genis to another hiding spot out of view of the desians.

Once they were in the clear, Genis turned to face Lloyd with a face of worry. He was really concerned about his friend, especially since she was one of his only ones beside Lloyd and Colette. "Lloyd, we need to get out of here! If the desians see us, we'll get in huge trouble!"

Lloyd agreed quietly, nodding his head while looking out beyond the rock they were hiding behind to see if anyone followed or saw them. Seeing as how they had no pursuers after a few minutes, he stepped out from behind the boulder and motioned for Genis to follow him. Leaping down to a nearby cliff, he waited for Genis to follow. Genis looked over to see where he had gone and almost wished he hadn't. Genis hated heights as well as difficult exercise, and Lloyd had already gone and combined the two to make an even worse situation. He then proceeded to slowly climb down the Cliffsideto catch up with Lloyd. When he got to him, he was thankful there was a path for them to follow out of there.

A few minutes later, both had stopped after running down the path to escape from the ranch. Geniswas sitting on the ground lying against a rock while Lloyd was pacing around in a small circle to work off the side stitch he had gotten while running. In his mind, he was slightly frantic, seeing as how everything had become so rushed. He had gone ahead and skipped ahead of the fight with the desianguards, as well as having to save Genis. There was an upside to this though. As far as he could sense, they weren't spotted on any cameras, so they wouldn't be later pursued by Forcystus. They had also been able to not delay Marble, meaning that it was likely she wouldn't be injured for talking with them.

Finally stopping his pace session, Lloyd turned to Genis and found the mage sitting there with a downtrodden face. Walking over, he kneeled down and asked "What's the matter, Genis?"

Genislooked up to Lloyd and responded with tears in his eyes "I'm worried about Marble. What if she got hurt because we talked to her? And we might have been caught on the cameras too!"

Lloyd compiled these questions before smiling, saying "Don't worry Genis. I'm fairly certain that we left before Marble could get into trouble. The desians wouldn't have even noticed we were there. Also, I'm sure we didn't get caught on the cameras, because if we had, we probably wouldn't be sitting here talking about it right now, now would we?"

Taking all this in, Genis quickly changed to a happy attitude, glad that he had such a good friend in Lloyd. "Alright, I guess I'll head home then." He got up and started to walk off when he turned to Lloyd. "Make sure to ask about that key crest, alright Lloyd?"

Lloyd smiled and nodded at Genis before saying "Of course I will Genis. I wouldn't go back on my word, you know that. See you later!" He then walked off, glad that he had managed to save at least one life in this new world.

When Lloyd got home, he noticed that Dirk wasn't home at the time, so he proceeded up to his room to do more thinking. When he got up there, he noticed that there was a note on his door. Picking up the note, he noticed it was from Dirk. It read:

_Lloyd,_

_I've gone off to town to pick up some groceries. Be back in a little while._

_Love,_

_Dirk_

Lloyd read the note and then discarded it in the wastebasket in his room and lied out on the bed. Sighing, he began to relax on the bed when he remembered that he wanted to talk to Origin about his senses. Sitting up, he decided to contact him.

_Origin? Can I talk to you?_

Yes, Lloyd. I'm here. So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?

_It's about those angel senses. Do you think you could explain those better?_

Certainly. However, this may take some time, so get comfortable. After waiting a few seconds for Lloyd to get ready, he continued. To begin, we must first talk about mana and its effect in time travel. As you know, mana is basically the main energy of the world, used from raising crops to powering magitetechnology. It remains in a definite form at all times and cannot be altered unless willed to do so. This same theory applies to time travel. When you crossed that portal, your body was forced to change, while your mana remained untouched. Contained in this mana were your angel senses as well as your memories and intelligence. When you landed back in this time, your mana was returned to you, containing everything aforementioned.

Lloyd absorbed all this in before saying "So let me get this straight. I have all my angel senses from the future, as well as my intelligence and my memories, while my body was basically reset?"

That is correct. Strangely enough, your wings are present as well, yet, not as you might think.

Lloyd became shocked at this and quickly asked "What do you mean? Weren't they converted into mana as well?"

It would appear they were indeed converted. However, like the Eternal Sword, which was bonded to Mithos, the wings were also bonded to him, seeing as they were his, and were merely reformatted to match your body. However, after going through the time warp, the wing's mana signature was seemingly, as best I can put it, split.

"Split?" Lloyd repeated.

Correct. When you received your wings, they became bonded to you, all the way to nearly your soul, reaching your mana core. Your mana core is what holds all of your mana in place, and allows you to use it as you do. When you entered the vortex, your memories, intelligence, and mana were all within your core, while your wings were not quite as settled. As a result, you have the wings, but you will not access them with ease. The only situation I can foresee you accessing them is in times of extreme duress or emotion.

Lloyd assimilated all of this slowly to make sure he got it right. If what Origin said was true, then he would have to beat Mithos again to re-obtain his wings to their full status. Lloyd then asked "What about my body? You said that was forced to be changed."

That's correct. When one's physical form enters the time stream, it is altered based on one thing: The precise time in which you are being sent. Since you were being sent to the past, your body's time clock was reversed, causing it to go back until a day ago. If you wish to re-obtain your body, you would either have to go back through the portal to the precise time, or train your body back to its usual state.

Lloyd sighed and fell back into his bed after hearing this, his head throbbing from so much information. After a few minutes, Lloyd decided to ask Origin one last thing.

_Origin, do you have any ideas about Colette's transformation? I've tried to think of a few ideas, but none of them would work._

Hmm, that is a difficult one. Origin pondered. Then he seemed to be struck by a sudden thought. There was a way, but it was slightly complicated. But if done right, it would prevent Colette's transformation.

Lloyd, I have an idea. It's a risky chance, but we might be able to pull it off.

Lloyd bolted up from the bed and exclaimed "Well? What is it, tell me!" If there was any one goal that Lloyd wanted to achieve, it was to make sure Colette did not go through the same process as before.

In your memories, it was said that Colette's transformation was like a parasite, correct? Lloyd nodded his head furiously, listening intently. Then perhaps we could make Colette's body develop immunity to the parasitism!

Lloyd thought about it for a moment before asking "Say what now?"

Let me start from the beginning. As you went through your original journey, Colette broke the four seals of Sylvarant. And with each seal, she lost a sense, such as taste and touch, finally ending with her memories and heart at the Tower of Salvation. When you investigated the cause of this, you discovered it to be a negative reaction to the breaking of the seals, and gaining angel powers and abilities, correct?

Lloyd nodded, allowing Origin to continue.

Now then, after that occurred, and you managed to restore her to her natural form, you discovered she was suffering from Chronic Angelus Crystallis Innoficium, yes? And that you had to create and place another complicated and extremely difficult key-crest in order to save her?

Another nod.

Now then, consider this. We are back before the process began, before any seals are broken. Colette's body is unharmed for the time being. If we work fast enough, we can plant an immunity system in her body to resist and protect her from harm from either of these diseases, so to speak. But it must be done before she breaks the first seal. If she breaks it before we can invoke the magic, it will not work. 

Lloyd pondered over it for a second before saying "All right. Sounds like a good plan to me. How do we do it?"

There is an ancient incantation I know of that was used to heal and protect against parasitic diseases. I remember that I once used it on Mithos when he had become deathly ill. It took only a couple of days, but after that, it never happened again and he got better almost instantly. This should work in the exact same way. I can teach you the incantation, but you'll have to perform it on her yourself. I suggest doing it while she sleeps, that way she won't know about it.

Lloyd thought it over for a minute, thinking if there was anything else he wanted to ask about. "Will this hurt her in anyway possible?"

No, it should not. The entire process should be painless and easy to do.

Lloyd thought about it more. This was precisely what he had been waiting for; a chance to correct Colette's error of judgment about herself, and put a stop to Mithos' twisted plan to revive Martel. And now that he also knew it wouldn't harm her, it sounded perfect. "All right then. I'll do it. All I have to do is perform the incantation and that's it?"

That's right that is all you have to do.

Lloyd lay back on his bed and relaxed. "All right then, now that that's settled, I'll just wait for dad to come back."

At almost the sound of his words, there was a clattering noise from the bottom floor: Dirk had returned. _Speak of the Devil_ thought Lloyd as he hopped down from his bed and ran down the steps to greet Dirk.

After putting away the groceries from Dirk's shopping, Lloyd offered to help make dinner so as to ease Dirk's workload as well as possibly soften him up to make a key crest for him. A few minutes and a full stomach stuffed with beef stew mixed secretly with some alcohol, Dirk was quite content with himself. Lloyd decided that this would be the moment to ask him for help, seeing as how his judgment would be impaired from the alcohol.

"Hey Dad." Lloyd said to his step-father lounging on the sofa. Dirk turned his head and grunted to show he was listening. "I was wondering if you would make me another key crest."

Dirk heaved himself up and straightened himself as he sat across from Lloyd. Taking a moment to get his bearings, he then asked "Hmm? A new key crest? What for?"

Lloyd put on a thoughtful expression to show he actually had a good excuse, while he actually tried to think of a good excuse. No matter how many times Lloyd thought it over, there was no good excuse for getting a new key crest unless his own was damaged, and his was sitting right in front of Dirk. With that possibility gone, Lloyd decided to try the one he used before. "There's this guy in town I saw. A traveling mercenary. He had an exsphere, but no key crest. I offered to give him one so he wouldn't get sick. Isn't that what happens when you put on an exsphere without a key crest?"

Dirk sat there, deep in thought about his situation. Well, to say he was thinking about his situation would be slightly overshooting it. It'd probably be more along the lines of whether or not he wanted to do it at all. The part of him that was dwarfish and wanted to work said he should do it because it would be a good time to practice. The other side, the lazy side who wanted to hibernate, said he should just forget about it and go to sleep. Eventually, they got into a fight where finally the working side won. Standing up, Dirk said drunkenly "All right! I'll make you a key crest Lloyd. Just make sure to give it to him, alright?"

Lloyd nodded his head and replied "All right. I'll give it to him. Wait dad WATCH OUT!" This last part was directed at Dirk as he stood up and wobbled over to the working area where he tripped and almost slipped on a tool. Wheeling his arms backward, he almost fell had Lloyd not caught him. Righting himself up, he thanked Lloyd and said "I'm all right, I'm all right. Just lost my footing a bit, I did." He started to wobble over to the furnace when there was a knock at the door. "Get that, would you Lloyd?" Dirk asked.

"Sure thing, dad." Lloyd answered and went to the door. Opening it, he found Raine, Genis, Kratos, and Colette all standing at his door. "Oh, hey guys. What's up?" Lloyd asked the small group.

Raine stepped forward and said "Colette would like to have a word with you before going on the journey tomorrow. I would like to as well. There's a matter I need to discuss withyou." She finished with a serious look in her eye. Lloyd recognized that look. Either Genis had told her about the visit to the ranch, or she had found out he had pulled the prank on the mayor. Colette then chirped "Lloyd, could we go up to the Terrace?"

Lloyd smiled at Colette before replying "Sure Colette, Just give me a minute to talk with the Professor, alright?"

Colette nodded her head and proceeded over to Noishe's little stable, where the protozoan appeared to desire company. Kratoswalked off in the direction of Anna's tombstone, with a somber look on his face. Lloyd recognized that look as the same when he revealed he was his father who had to kill Anna to protect him. He would have to talk to him before he left. Turning to Raine he asked "Well, what is it, Professor?"

Raine put on a serious expression and focused on Lloyd. "I heard from Genis something about the ranch, but he refuses to tell me about it, no matter how many times I…ask him to." Raine stated, turning her eyes to Genis' direction, who had chosen to stand by the river as to get away from the conversation. "Care to elaborate?"

Lloyd gulped and tried to put on a brave façade to counter Raine's terrorizing gaze of…um…terror, and stated firmly "What happened was that Genishas a friend that is a prisoner at the Human Ranch. He had wished to go tell her about the Oracle. I came along to make sure he wouldn't be hurt as well as make friends with her. When we got there, we managed to talk to her for a few minutes before having to leave. We were careful to avoid the cameras Professor. There's no way they knew we were there." Lloyd finished, now staring at his teacher as she judged what he said. After a few minutes, her expression lightened and she smiled. "Alright then, Lloyd. I'll let it go this time. Just don't make any serious decisions like that before thinking, okay?" Lloyd smiled; glad to get his friend out of trouble. "Sure thing Professor. Oh, and please don't punish Genis for this. He morally didn't do anything wrong, he was just visiting his friend." Nodding her head, The Professor walked over to Genis to talk to him.

_Next is Kratos._ Thought Lloyd, mentally preparing himself not to mess up one of his only private conversations with his secret father.

* * *

As Kratos stood in front of his fallen love's grave, he thought about all that had happened. _How, of all places and times, could this have come to pass? For Lloyd, my only son, to appear before me in happiness, only to curse himself by befriending the sacrifice for Martel's body? Oh, Anna, why did you have to die?_

Kratos closed his eyes and resumed thinking. _And now, it's probable that he will be going on the journey; that cursed journey whose end is only filled with grief. If he did join us, in the end, I…I'd have to…oh Goddess, why did all this have to happen? _He thought somberly, wishing for some entity to just erase his existence here and now to prevent him from causing him more grief.

"Hey, are you alright?" A voice questioned behind Kratos. Turning around, he saw it was Lloyd who had asked. "Hmm? What is it?" He asked.

* * *

"I asked if you were alright. You were standing over here looking so grave, I thought something bad had happened." Lloyd replied, walking over and stopping at Kratos' side. Kratosquickly put on a faceless expression and turned back towards the grave.

"It's nothing, I just was thinking about this person's grave. Was she your mother?" He asked, hoping that his face didn't show his true feelings.

"Yes, she was. She died when I was younger. Dirk told me she died protecting me from monsters. He found us with Noishedefending me and my mom lying on the ground injured. He told me she said to take care of me for her, and to give him this exsphere." Lloyd finished, holding up his hand and taking off his exsphere to show Kratos. Kratos stared at it for a moment before saying "I see. Are you going to go on the journey with the Chosen One?" He asked, handing Lloyd back his exsphere.

"I plan on it. I wouldn't miss this for the world." Lloyd replied, putting the exsphere back on his hand and looking back at the grave. Kratos and Lloyd just stood in silence for a few seconds before Kratos finally said "I suppose I shall take my leave. Remember, we leave at noon tomorrow." He started to walk off, but stopped a few feet away. "Oh and Lloyd?" He questioned, turning to look at his son.

Lloyd turned to face him and replied "Yes?" wondering what his father had to say as a final word.

"If you do intend to go this journey, remember these words: Be strong in your battles and be careful not to weaken in times of strain. If you do, it could lead to the end of all you know." Kratos spoke somberly, then turned around and walked away from the quaint little home.

Watching him leave, Lloyd realized just how much his father cared about him, even if he didn't directly let it be known out loud. To him, all those words meant were that he would have to be careful in the end, and that he still cared about him, enough to lie about the time of departure to avoid him getting hurt. Remembering that Colette still wanted to talk to him, Lloyd rushed off to the Terrace to talk to the fledgling chosen.

(I'm gonna go ahead and skip their conversation. Sorry, but I'm running out of plot space for what I had planned. Just insert their conversation from the game here.)

Lloyd sat in his room, thinking about what to expect, now that he was going on the journey with Colette. The only difference was that this time, he knew what the actual time was, and would go with them without worrying about the village getting harmed. The only thing he had to worry about now was Colette's incantation and the key crest Dirk was making. He knew he told him to wake him up early, so Lloyd wouldn't have to worry about missing their departure. And with that thought, he went to sleep, but not before placing his alarm to go off in three hours first.

When those few hours had passed, Lloyd snapped awake, taking care to prevent the alarm clock from making noise. He had little time to waste, and immediately proceeded to leave quietly, taking care to not wake Dirk, and headed straight for town.

Finally arriving at Colette's house, Lloyd climbed up a side of the house, said side fortunately having a white criss-crossing fence attached to the side, making it easy to climb. He opened the window to Colette's room silently, and got inside, making sure to not make any noise. He crept over to where Colette slept, said Chosen now far away in dreamland. Lloyd quickly contacted Origin in his mind for the task at hand.

_'Origin, it's time. We need to do the ritual now.' _Lloyd though quickly.

Understood, pact-maker. Hold your hands out in front of you, and repeat these words as I say them.

Lloyd closed his eyes for a moment, and extended his hands out, as instructed, before beginning to whisper an ancient chant. "Beings of light, carriers of the elements, hear my plea. Protect this mortal before me; enclose her in a realm of security. Let no celestial harm, be it of neither heaven nor hell, enter her body, and should it attempt so, be promptly expelled. Let the grace of the angel's wings forever guard her life, and ensure her safety, so sworn on my mana and blood."

When Lloyd began the chant, his hands started to glow a bright blue, representing his mana. It changed into several colors, going from red, to purple, yellow, and so on, until finally settling on white. When he finished, the glow became a small stream of mana, and it entered Colette's mouth, going swiftly to not disturb her. The only sign of her noticing was her nose twitching, and her twisting to face the wall.

Lloyd sighed quietly, relieved to have completed one of his goals of utmost importance. He left with a smile, and rushed home, far happier than when the day began.

**Iselia Human Ranch-security room**

"It was one of the most boring jobs in existence" pretty much summed up what everyone in the human ranch thought of the job of security officer. Nothing ever happened in there, because no one was stupid enough to actually bother the ranch. Our security officer on the job was going through the routine of checking all the cameras before finally shutting them down for the night.

_I don't understand why Lord Forcystuswants me to always keep checking these cameras. No one ever comes up here to bother us, so why deal with it? What, does he think the prisoners are gonna rebel and escape?_

The desian's thought was interrupted as he was checking one of the thermal imaging cameras that had been installed just this week. It was a new type of security, supposed to help see during night time when average cameras couldn't see anything unless it literally glowed. Looking on the screen, the time was set at earlier that afternoon, about the time that they were exercising the prisoners by making them do manual labor.

To the side of the ranch, he could see that one of the prisoners had proceeded over towards the fence. Changing cameras so as to get a better view, he was shocked at what he saw and jumped to his feet. On the other side of the fence where the prisoner was located were two other figures. They had about the stature of children, meaning they were from the village. This meant that they had broken the peace treaty they had signed so long ago.

_I need to inform Lord Forcystus right away!_ Was the desian's thought as he quickly fled the room to report to the master of the ranch.

* * *

Author's notes: Oh, shit. Lloyd's gonna get in huge trouble now, and just when everything was going so well, too. To see what happens next, stay tuned! Read and Review!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's notes: Hello, I'm back again with another exciting chapter of Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! But before we begin, there is something I need to discuss with you, my readers.

I wish to make a note to Kyogre. Again, you have made points in your reviews that have been crucial to my story, and I owe you a debt of gratitude. I will try to use your notes to build a good story, though you must forgive me if I make a mistake; being a 15 year-old author in high School is no easy task. If you wish to make a fic similar to mine, then I'd have to say you've got the brains to build it.

EDIT: This chapter has undergone reformatting, and is hopefully better than before. Enjoy!

And now, we resume the story. On with the Show!

* * *

Lloyd had waked slowly after last night. He had a nice, deep sleep, filled with a dream of him triumphing over his enemies, much like he always dreamt when he first started the journey. He would fight warriors and monsters that were some of the biggest and most menacing one could ever see. But in the end, just as he would move to strike the worst of them all down, he would fall out of bed and rise with a rude awakening.

But this morning was different, with his body subconsciously ready for the reaction. So when he went to make the violent motion to strike the last enemy, his body prepared itself by gripping the pillow and taking it with him when he fell over. The pillow was used to cushion the body's fall, but sadly, the subconscious forgot to count for Lloyd's head, which landed on the floor with a loud THUMP! Getting up and shaking his head, Lloyd rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and went to wash up.

While Lloyd was drying off, he wondered what would change now that he had avoided the ranch massacre. The village would still be friends with him, so that was good. The mayor might still be irritated at him, but nobody really cared what that old man thought. Who knows, Lloyd thought, maybe someone else will get the idea to have him attacked by killer rabbits. (Monty Python Killer Rabbits, mind you.) Putting on his clothes, he proceeded downstairs.

After eating breakfast, Lloyd began to wonder where Dirk had disappeared to. He hadn't come downstairs during breakfast, and Lloyd was starting to get worried. If there was one thing he appreciated having in this world, it was that he had a loving step-dad to talk to. But right now, it seemed that he had vanished, leaving Lloyd alone at the table. Picking up his dishes and putting them on the counter, he decided to look for him.

Going back upstairs, he called out "Dad? Are you there?" Knocking on the door and receiving no response, he opened the door and almost laughed at what he saw.

Dirk was lying lopsided in one of his chairs, with a book over his head and a blanket pulled over him, snoring silently. As Lloyd walked over to him, he picked up the faint smell of whiskey, meaning his father had had some before going to sleep. It wasn't new to Lloyd to see his father drink; he didn't think it really mattered at all. Finally stopping in front of him, Lloyd kneeled down and took a deep breath. He might regret doing this later, but when will he get a better opportunity?

"OY, DAD! WAKE UP!" Lloyd yelled right in his face.

The reaction was predictable, with Dirk being startled by the loud noise and falling out of his chair. Getting up and grumbling about loudmouthed kids and "too much sugar", he dusted himself off before turning to Lloyd. "Oh, good morning Lloyd. Did you sleep well?"

Lloyd smiled at his step-father and replied "Yep, I feel refreshed and ready to go on the Regeneration Journey! Have you got my bag ready?"

Dirk nodded and walked over to one of the few clean tables in his room. On it was a small bag standing up, stuffed full of things Lloyd might need for the journey. It had some apple gels and orange gels, as well as a few panacea bottles in case he got sick, as well as other necessaries that he thought of. He walked back over to Lloyd and handed it to him. "So, I take it your ready to go?"

Lloyd nodded his head in response. "Uh-huh, I'm good to go. We leave at 8 o' clock, so I still have a little time. I'll help you clean up the dishes, come on." He turned and walked toward the door, but stopped when he didn't hear footsteps follow behind his. Turning back, he looked at his step-dad, whose face had gone from a healthy tan to a sudden sickly pale. "Dad? Are you okay? You look like you're sick or something." Lloyd asked, wondering what was wrong with Dirk.

Dirk seemed to in fact, be sick, because he didn't respond right off the bat. He sat still a moment before saying "You're supposed to leave at 8 o'clock?" Lloyd nodded. "Lloyd, it's ten' o clock right now."

It took Lloyd a few seconds to process this. When he did, everything just seemed to crash and stop where it stood. His mind, which was filled with joy, suddenly turned to silent panic. "What…did you just say?" He questioned shakily, hoping to every deity and god or goddess in existence he knew that he had heard wrong.

"I said it's ten' o clock right now."

Lloyd's eyes widened with fright and shock at this. He had heard right. He had missed the journey's start, because he overslept. After all his preparations, his plans, he had missed it _**again**_. He probably would have screamed had not someone knocked at the door. He quickly rushed downstairs, bag in hand and slung over his shoulder, and threw the door open, revealing Genis.

"Genis, please tell me it's not ten o' clock. Please tell me I didn't oversleep." Lloyd pleaded to his best friend. He couldn't have possibly overslept, there's just no way!

Genis replied simply "I'm afraid it is. That's why I came out here, because you weren't there and…Lloyd?" Genis stopped and took a few steps back as his best friend collapsed on the ground with a muffled "NOOOO! DAMMIT!" Lloyd sat there in silence a few moments after that, wishing Martel would just kill him for that screw-up. He then got up and shook it off.

Genis just looked on in confusion and asked finally "You done now?"

Lloyd nodded his head and said "Yeah, I think so. Dad, I'm going to the village to talk to Phaidra. She probably knows which way they went." He and Genis started to run towards the village when Dirk called out "Wait a minute, Lloyd! You forgot something!"

Lloyd turned around in time to catch a shining object that Dirk tossed to him. Holding it up, Lloyd noticed it was the key crest that he asked for last night. "Thanks, dad. I owe you one! See you!" And with that, Lloyd ran off towards the village. Dirk watched them run off before turning back towards the house and going inside. The boy had interrupted his sleep, and he was still tired.

As they ran on towards the village, Lloyd mentally cursed at himself for being so careless. He knew he should have also asked Dirk to wake him up early, and now he's got to pay for that mistake. Not only would he have to catch up to the group, he probably just lost any respect that he had built up from Kratos. _At least it can't get any worse_, Lloyd thought, as he and Genis came into the village. They ran by the guards, who yelled out to them, with one of them saying they should go see Phaidra. They immediately proceeded to Colette's house and knocked on the door hurriedly.

Frank came to the door and answered it. "Can I help you two with something?" He asked, opening the door wider after recognizing the two boys.

Lloyd spoke after regaining his breath. "Yeah, you can. We need to talk to Phaidra, is she in?"

Frank nodded and let them in. After they both walked in, he shut the door behind them and followed them. They found Phaidra in the main room of the household, sitting at the table as if expecting them to come and visit. She noticed their presence and gestured them to sit. "I assume you two came to find out about where Colette has gone?" She asked after they had taken their seats.

"That's right. Can you tell us where she went?" Lloyd answered, hoping to finish this quickly so he can pursue his friend.

"I can, but first I feel it necessary that you read this. It's from Colette and is addressed to you, Lloyd. She asked me to hand it to you when I got the chance." Phaidra said, and then handed a letter to Lloyd. Lloyd quickly skimmed over the letter, and then put it back on the table. "This doesn't sound like a letter at all; it sounds more like a will." Lloyd stated, feigning confusion to cover what he really knew.

Frank cleared his throat so attention would be drawn to him. "Well, I suppose you could call it that. You see, there's something we didn't tell the villagers or anyone else for that matter. You see, Colette-no, the Chosen One is already-" Frank stopped, interrupted by what was the sound of a large commotion outside. People could be heard screaming, accompanied by a random explosion or two.

Genis, Frank, and Phaidra all turned to the window to try and get a better glimpse of what was happening, while Lloyd sat frozen in his seat in fear. _No, there's no way they could have seen us. It's impossible! I made sure those cameras didn't see us, I'm certain of it! But then why would they be here? Dammit! I have to do something!_ Standing up out of his seat, Lloyd quickly proceeded to the door. "Wait, Lloyd, where are you going?" Phaidra asked, turning her gaze away from the blurred images outside.

Lloyd stopped before he reached the door. Standing still for a moment, he didn't look back at them when he replied. "I have to go out there. There are people in danger and I'm one of the only people with the ability of defending them. Genis, I'm gonna need your help, so you come too." He then opened the door and ran outside, with Genis following him shortly afterward. When the door closed, Phaidra and Frank sat there in silence. _Good luck Lloyd,_ Phaidra thought, _and please don't get killed out there._

Lloyd ran out beyond the house and got a look at his surroundings. It was just as he had feared. Houses were ablaze, either destroyed and set aflame or simply burning away. People were running amok, trying to avoid being killed by the Desians. Some of them tried to fight them off, but few could even land a blow before succumbing to their fear and fleeing. The desians themselves looked as if they were enjoying themselves. Seeing all this made Lloyd feel miserable and guilty for causing it, but as well as those emotions, he felt something that was quite helpful for him in battle: he felt anger.

_Those damn Desian bastards are going to pay for this. I swear it on my life! I will make them pay for destroying my home! I couldn't have prevented it from happening before, but now I'm gonna stop this before it gets any worse. I have to!_ Lloyd thought furiously. At the same time, Genis was focusing on trying to help the people, but stopped when he felt mana rising to an enormous amount. Turning around, he found Lloyd right in the direction of the rising mana, clenching his fists and shaking with anger. Genis audibly gulped and stepped back. He had never seen his friend get this mad before, nor did he usually ever have such a high energy rating.

"Lloyd? Are you okay over there?" Genis asked, afraid to approach his friend in case he lashed out at him.

Lloyd turned around with a serious expression and replied "To be honest Genis, no, I'm not okay. The desians are destroying my home, and it's my fault for not being careful enough. Now I have to try to fix this. I want you to help out as many people as you can; I'll go take care of any small desian groups. Then, we'll meet in the square, alright?" He finished and then turned back in his original direction.

Genis nodded and said "Alright, just be careful, alright?" He then ran off to help the villagers, leaving Lloyd to himself. He then closed his eyes and sought out Origin. _Origin, I need to speak with you, it's urgent._

I am here, Lloyd. What is the situation?

_The desians saw us at the ranch again. Tell me; what techniques can I use right now?_

Let me see…hmm. Judging by your current body levels compared with your mana, you can use all of your most basic techniques, and only two secondary techniques: Beast and Fierce Demon Fang. If you were to try using any others, your body wouldn't be able to take the strain and would shut down, permanently.

_Alright, that's all I needed to know. Thanks._ Lloyd then cut off the link and proceeded into the village. Running quickly to one corner area, he saw two desians working on bringing down another house. Rushing forward, he drew his wooden swords and assaulted them. They both heard his presence and immediately drew their weapons, but for all the good it would have done them, they might as well have picked up some sticks to compare to Lloyd's rage-enhanced might. Leaping forward, he cried out "Fierce Demon Fang!" slamming his blade down on the ground, sending a large burst of earth in a wave like motion towards them. They saw it and tried to flee, but were caught by the wave, knocking them both off their feet and to the ground. They tried to get up to counter assault, but were swiftly knocked out by two precise blows to their heads. Lloyd then sheathed his blades and moved onward.

After successfully driving off another group of desians from destroying another house, Lloyd estimated that that was the last group he needed to take care of and proceeded towards the square. He was about to turn the corner towards it when he heard running behind him. Putting his hand to the hilt of his blade, he quickly turned around to face the unknown being, but relaxed when he saw it was Genis.

"Genis! Good, you're alright-wait, why are you crying?" Lloyd said, noticing his friend's face streaked by tears from his watery eyes. He put his head down and sobbed for a moment, then sniffled and said "They, they destroyed my house, Lloyd!" And he broke down, falling to the ground in tears. It was at this moment that Lloyd truly felt pity for his friend. He had suffered so much in his life from being a half-elf, let alone just now having his house destroyed. And it was all because of his big damn mistake!

Lloyd walked over to Genis and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Genis, I promise, we'll get them back for this. I swear it." Genis wiped the tears from his eyes and face and put on an expression of seriousness, similar to that of Lloyd's. "Alright then. Let's go!" Genis exclaimed, and then ran off to the village square with Lloyd behind him, ready to unleash his wrath on whoever got in his way.

The desians had corralled the villagers in a small group, blocking the exit with their presence. Forcystus stood there with a triumphant smirk. The mayor was in front of the group, standing as if he intended to defend the citizens by himself. Lloyd and Genis ran in front of him and stopped, facing the desians and their leader. As soon as Lloyd saw Forcystus, his anger returned full-force, and Genis sensed his mana rise again.

"What are you doing here? Have you come to seek revenge for not being able to kill Colette yesterday?" Lloyd asked angrily, speaking to Forcystus. He stepped forward, still grinning with that evil smirk, and answered "No, that is not the reason we have come. We have come here for you, Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage! You have broken the treaty by communicating with one of the prisoners at the ranch, and shall now be punished! Bring forth the beast!"

There was silence for a few seconds, which was soon broken by loud thumps of footsteps. Lloyd heard this, and recognized it right away: they were bringing out Marble in her transformed state. He looked to Genis, who was currently staring beyond the village gate, trying to see what was making that noise. He hoped he wasn't going to be too saddened by this. Lloyd couldn't bear to see his friend suffer again before his very eyes, and would do everything in his power to prevent it, but now, he feared it was too late to save Marble, and prepared himself for what was to come.

Marble eventually revealed herself, walking in a strange fashion with her arms dragging behind her, green and lined with purple veins, ending with sharpened red claws. Her torso was covered by what appeared to be a prisoner's uniform stretched to its extent, with her legs, green as her arms, shuffling along. Her head had been changed from the kind face they knew to a hideous head, with her eyes being changed into a single yellow orb. She stopped and stared them down for a moment with her grotesque eye, and then roared and charged at them, claws extended forward.

Lloyd and Genis both saw this coming and dodged to either sides of her. Genis started casting fireball, aiming for her legs to cripple her, while Lloyd distracted her by slamming her with back to back Demon Fangs. Finally, the spell was finished and he fired three balls of flame at the Exbuela. His aim was off however, as only one connected while the other two skirted to the side. This was enough to draw its attention however, and the Exbuela soon turned and began to assault Genis.

Lloyd witnessed this from behind the Exbuela and thought quickly as to how to save his friend. He knew that the Exbuela's weakness was in its legs, meaning the best course of action was to use Beast. _Sorry Marble, but it's either you or Genis_. Lloyd thought bitterly as he ran towards the beast. Summoning up the mana needed for the technique, he aimed for her legs, ramming her with his shoulders, and then swinging the flat side of his sword around to make a second impact, crying "Beast!"

The attack took its toll on the friend-turned-monster, as she came to her knees as to succumb to defeat. Lloyd saw this and sheathed his swords, knowing to stop now. He held out his hand to stop Genis, who was about to keep casting spells on the downed creature. He looked at Lloyd curiously, and then nodded his head in acceptance, putting away his kendama and also relaxing.

Forcystus grew angry at this and turned to the Desians behind him. "You idiots! I told you to pick a stronger specimen to use!" He yelled, and then turned towards Lloyd and Genis. "This is what happens when you let foolish subordinates try to control the situation." He then pulled his cannon arm up and took aim at them. He almost fired, had it not been for Marble swinging her body around him to hold him back. Genis and the other villagers gasped at this sudden action, while Lloyd merely looked on in disinterest.

"Lloyd, Genis…get away, quickly!" A warbled voice rang out. Lloyd recognized the voice as Marble's, while Genis merely settled for a gasp. The Exbuela then turned its head towards Genis and said "Genis, you were like a grandson to me. Goodbye…" she then shone a bright yellow and spontaneously combusted, knocking Forcystus to the ground in pain. A bright red stone flew out from the explosion and landed in front of Genis. He picked it up and held it close to his chest, sniffling and holding his head down looking at the stone.

"Lord Forcystus! It's just as you predicted, sir! That boy has the exsphere!" One of the desians exclaimed, while two others helped Forcystus to his feet. Forcystus looked up at Lloyd and said "Lloyd, remember this. We will always be after you as long as you have that exsphere. Always!" He and his group then warped away, leaving Lloyd and the others in their wake.

Lloyd sighed and turned, looking to see if Genis was okay. Seeing him sob silently, he walked over and put a comforting arm around him. He looked to the villagers, knowing they would be angry with him. He was right, seeing as how the mayor himself looked like he was about to explode. He stepped forward and roared at Lloyd, "Do you realize what you've done? Look! Look at our village! It's in ruins and it's your entire fault!"

Lloyd almost argued at this, but decided it was pointless. They were pretty much unreliable people right now, seeing as how they were all believing the mayor was right about everything. "I understand, and I'm sorry for it. I can't say much more than that can I?" Lloyd said morosely, fully realizing what was going to happen next.

The mayor stomped his foot in anger. "Sorry doesn't cover everything here, all of the lives and home lost to this Massacre! I have no choice but to exile you two for the safety of the village!"

Genis' head pricked up at this, and he argued, "Wait a minute. I can understand me being exiled, but Lloyd didn't do anything at the ranch! He just protected me until we got there is all!"

The mayor yelled back, "I don't care. The desians have made him out as their enemy. If he stays here, he'll put the whole village to risk!"

Genis felt saddened at this with guilt, knowing that it was he who had brought Lloyd along in the first place. All of this was his fault as well. _If only you humans would listen to us…_Genis thought, as he turned away from the villagers and the mayor. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Lloyd smiling a grim smile at him. "It's alright Genis. We haven't lost everything. Besides, now we have a chance to catch up with Colette and the others, don't we?"

Genis thought about this and decided Lloyd was right. They hadn't lost everything. He and Lloyd were still alive, as well as his sister and Colette. He had that to be happy about. He was also going on the world famous Regeneration Journey to save the world! Genis smiled and pulled up his head, a smile now adorning his features. "You're right, Lloyd. We should get going if were going to catch up."

The other villagers left a few minutes after this decree and went about there business of starting to clean up the village. This left Lloyd, Genis, Frank, and Phaidra alone at the gate. Frank and Phaidra gave Lloyd and Genis extra supplies that they would need, such as food and tents in case they couldn't stop at an inn along they way. They also gave them a map, listed with details of how to catch up to them to Triet, the desert city.

As they left, Lloyd remembered the conversation that they were having before the desians came to destroy the village. He decided to at least tell them that he already knew what they were trying to tell them, so they wouldn't have to worry about them as well as their daughter. "Genis, wait here a second. I need to ask Frank and Phaidra something." Lloyd asked his friend who merely nodded in response and sat his stuff down on the ground with Noishe, who had decided to tag along for the journey.

Frank and Phaidra were starting to head back to their house when Lloyd caught up with them. "Hey, Phaidra! Frank! Wait a second!" Lloyd yelled to them. They heard him and turned to see him running towards them.

"Lloyd? What is it?" Phaidra asked as Lloyd took a moment to recover his breath from his run.

"It's about the conversation we were having before the desians came. You were trying to tell us something weren't you?" Lloyd said, standing up after stretching to get the soreness out of his joints. He really needs to start doing that more often if he's going to run like this. _Mark running under training as well,_ Lloyd thought.

Frank and Phaidra looked at each other moment. Neither was sure if it was the right moment to tell Lloyd the truth about the Regeneration Journey and what will happen to Colette. "Er, Lloyd, now might not be the best time to talk about-

"You wanted to tell us that it's most likely that Colette is going to die, didn't you?" Lloyd interrupted, standing firmly in front of them.

Phaidra and Frank both gasped at this and were shocked at Lloyd's information. "How, how did you know? We haven't told anyone, not even the priests about this." Phaidra spoke quietly, still in shock at Lloyd's words.

"Simple. I looked in the history books back at school about the past chosen ones, and I noticed that even though there were one's who died on the journey itself, there's no record of the one's who did make it ever leaving any trace of themselves behind. I know that the Chosen One is supposed to ascend into heaven, but they would have to at least leave something behind that was important of them before going, wouldn't they? And before you say it, yes, I know that Spiritua left the Book of Regeneration behind. However, after her supposed ascension into heaven, there was no further mention of her, or of her friends who went with her. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together, once I figured that out." Lloyd responded. He worried a little internally about revealing such information to them, but it was for the best that they knew he wasn't just sitting in the dark without knowing.

Frank and Phaidra took this information in and realized what Lloyd said was actually correct. It was true that the past Chosen One's haven't left anything significant of them except for Spiritua, but now, hearing all this from Lloyd, made them feel even worse about their daughter. "Lloyd, I don't know how you figured all this out," Phaidra said after a moment's silence, "But I want you to promise me that you will take care of Colette."

Lloyd nodded his head and replied "Don't worry. I intend to do everything in my power to prevent Colette from dying. You have my word. I have to go now. Goodbye." And he walked off, leaving Frank and Phaidra there to wallow in their thoughts.

Lloyd caught up back with Genis, who had taken a nap while waiting for Lloyd to return. When he woke up, he picked up his things and they began to walk. As they walked, Lloyd noticed Genis fingering the exsphere stone they had obtained from Marble. Remembering he still has the key crest Dirk gave him; Lloyd said quietly "If you want to use that exsphere, I can give you a key crest so you can use it properly."

Genis nodded his head in response and gave it to Lloyd. Lloyd asked him to hold up the hand he wanted to put it on, and Genis put up his right hand. Lloyd settled the Exsphere onto his hand, which tingled for a moment on his hand, then stopped. He then pulled out the Key Crest and set it onto the exsphere. When he was finished, Genis pulled it up to get a better look. "So this will make me stronger?" He asked, curious about the new appendage on his hand.

"Yep. It should help you learn stronger spells, as well as make you more physically fit. Helps out a bunch, doesn't it?" Lloyd responded, fingering his own stone gingerly, as he realized how much he relied on his as well.

"Yeah. Hey Lloyd, there was something I wanted to ask you about earlier today." Genis said, pulling his attention from his new belonging to his friend.

"Hmm? What is it?" Lloyd asked, curious as to what was on the midget mage's mind.

"Well, earlier, when you saw the desians destroying the town, I felt your mana sky-rocket. Then, later on, you used that technique to save me from being harmed by Marble. What's the deal with all of that? I haven't seen you practice that technique before, and I also haven't felt such strong mana either." Genis asked without taking a breath.

Lloyd thought about how to explain something like this without revealing too much. The spell-caster was quite the sharp one, so getting past this one might be a bit harder than the others. "Well, when I saw the desians, I got really angry. Maybe that's what made you sense so much mana. As for that move, maybe that just came along with the mana boost?" Lloyd ended hopefully. It made sense to him, so why shouldn't it make sense to Genis?

Genis thought it over for a moment and decided Lloyd was right. He had remembered that when his sister got mad at someone (usually him), her mana level shot up some, and her body seemed to gain strength. "I guess that makes sense. So, what now? I think we'll head for the nearest inn and think of what to do next there. Sound good to you?" Genis said finally, ready to almost just call it a day. He had a headache and wanted to rest.

Lloyd smiled and said "Sounds like a good plan to me. We'll head for the inn, and then come up with an idea of what to do next. Let's go." And with that, the two picked up their pace, both eager for a good's night rest before truly beginning the journey.

* * *

Author's notes: Okay, that's finally done. That wasn't exactly how I wanted to type it, but it seems to work anyway. Now that this chapter is done, I might take a break from it for awhile and work on my other stories. And if I do update them, please read them and leave a review if you feel like it.

Read and Review!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's notes: Yo, I'm back again with another hit chapter of Tales of Symphonia: SC (Second Chance)! I apologize for the wait, folks, I had to fix up my other stories before resuming this one. But now I'm back, and we can get back to the awesome goodness of this story!

Last time, Lloyd and Genis had been exiled from their home village after the Desians assaulted the village. They had been deluded that they had escaped the watchful eye of them when they went to the ranch, but they learned they were filmed on a heat sensory camera, and had to be punished for it. They ended up fighting Marble in her monster state, and had to end her life so as to protect the other villagers as well as their own lives. Now they are on their way to Triet so they can catch up with the group.

And now, Disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, because he'd probably screw it up somehow if he did.

Me: Hey! That's not fair! Just because I want to blow up Symphonia just for the heck of it, doesn't mean I'd screw it up too much!

Kratos: Blowing up the world isn't screwing it up?

Me: Of course not, that's why we invented the Eternal Sword!

Kratos: (Smacks forehead in frustration and groans)

Me: On with the Story!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

It's been a full day now, and Lloyd and Genis are traveling after leaving the inn. They had gotten a good night's sleep, and had left the inn in better spirits than yesterday. Genis had finally received his Key Crest and had attached it to his exsphere that he had obtained from Marble. When he equipped it, he could instantly feel its affects. He could sense the world around him better: He could see farther, hear sharper, as well as increases in his other senses.

The change wasn't extreme however, to his slight disappointment. His senses were only heightened a tiny amount, not enough to make a significant change. He had seen how Lloyd had grown strong due to his exsphere, and had wished secretly for his own so he would grow strong. When he saw how his had barely affected him, he was curious and asked Lloyd about it.

"Equipping an exsphere doesn't immediately make you strong right off the bat. You have to work with it, and then you'll become stronger. You'll feel it when you start to fight with it." Lloyd had answered.

But walking along now, Genis was beginning to doubt his words. He couldn't understand how the exsphere would work that way, partially because he hadn't really seen one before except for Lloyd's. That and he wasn't exactly a fan of physical exercise either. He put these thoughts aside and decided to just go by Lloyd's words for now.

Lloyd was in thought about what had happened back in the village. If there was anything he had wanted to change, it was the destruction of his and Genis' home. This whole time, he had been hoping to make changes to the past, yet all he had changed was defeating Vidarr quicker and sneaking around the ranch, and that had failed as well. How could he change things if he kept screwing them up?

He suddenly had an idea form in his head, after Genis had asked about his exsphere. He knew that he wasn't going to be able to change the past all by himself. It would take at least three other people as well. But what if he helped to make Genis stronger, better than what he was? Would that affect the future in a positive way? Could it even change Genis' opinion on human beings?

The more Lloyd thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense to him. If Genis was stronger, it would help on the journey itself, of course. But what if along with that growth, he learned more about the world, allowing him to form a different opinion of everything around him. Wouldn't that help him to overcome so many milestones that would appear in the future?

After a few more minutes of deliberation, Lloyd decided to go along with it. He would help Genis to grow strong, while at the same time, reform his beliefs of the world, and hopefully make him a stronger person. Heck, he might even get the courage to ask Presea out once they meet her.

The two continued onward, and soon reached the desert. The sight of sand and sand and, well, more sand wasn't exactly the most comforting view to see. They both sighed at this and trudged onwards. At first it was alright, with a small breeze to accompany them and keep them cool. Half an hour later however, they were starting to grow miserable. There was no wind to cool them off; only the sun was there to blaze them with outstanding heat. This was bearable enough for them, for they knew that they would soon reach Triet and sweet relief from the heat. But then…the bandits came.

They had just walked past a large rock that had jutted out of the ground, which had provided a cool place to rest. They had set there packs down and were resting when they heard chuckling from their side. They turned to their left to see three men walk out dressed in desert garb with knives drawn. Grins adorned their faces; they were expecting an easy victory over these two kids. They had spotted them as they had passed and waited for them to stop in the shade to strike. Now they had their chance.

"What do you three want?" Lloyd asked, well aware that they were bandits, and stepped forward in front of Genis to defend him.

The three men laughed at this and stopped walking a few feet away from Lloyd. The closest one said "It's simple, kid. Give us your money as well as any belongings that have value, and we'll consider letting you go unharmed. Don't, and this conversation may turn a little…rough, shall we say."

Lloyd scoffed at this. He wasn't about to be intimidated by bandits who don't even know how to properly fight. True, they had weapons that could harm them, but as Kratos had once taught him, there's more to fighting than just swinging your blade around like a madman.

"Well, to be honest with you, I don't really feel like giving you my money, and I'm pretty sure my friend here doesn't either. How about you let us go, and I won't bother to beat you to the ground." He said coolly, taking a page out of Kratos' book and stood in a defiant stance, an expressionless face adorning his features.

One of the thieves behind the first whistled and said "Well, lookie here boys. We got us a brave one here. Let's see if he can stand up with what he says, shall we?" The group then slowly started to split and surround the two fighters.

Lloyd whispered to Genis "Don't worry. I can take these guys easily. I'll cover for you while you can cast your earth spells."

Genis looked to Lloyd in curiosity and said "Why do you want me to cast only earth spells for?"

Lloyd drew his wooden swords from their sheaths and replied "Just trust me on this. Get ready." He quickly took his stance and analyzed the situation. Thank Martel that he had taken up Kratos' offer to train him, or else otherwise he would be at a serious disadvantage.

Scanning the area quickly, he noted that with the rock directly behind him, he and Genis would have their rear covered. This meant that he could easily watch the bandits for their movements. Second, judging by his being on edge, Lloyd could tell that his body was starting to recover from the time skip, and knew that he was going to be able to use his stronger techniques now. The only setback was Genis. Though his friend was positioned behind him, he would have to be careful to make sure not to let Genis be too vulnerable. One good swipe from these guys would spell disaster for him.

Factoring all this in, it would be understandable for someone to see a smirk cover Lloyd's face. This only irked the bandits into irritation, making one of them ask "What's so funny?"

Lloyd's smirk grew bigger as he replied, saying "Oh it's nothing. Just picturing you three being beaten to the ground after I kick your ass."

They each grew enraged at the audacity of this kid, leading one of them to believe he could take him down with one strike. With those thoughts in mind, the bandit charged forward, eager to make quick work of his opponent. (Oh, the poor fools.)

Lloyd saw him approach from the right and quickly reacted, launching a demon fang at him. The attack connected, throwing the guy back a few feet before falling to the ground. The second one, the one on his right, tried to rush him while he had his back turned. His attack would have gone unhindered, had it not been for the interruption of one certain little magician. With a cry of "Stone Blast!" the bandit was sent flying a few feet as the earth beneath him suddenly blasted up, finally landing with his head being plunged into the sand comically like an ostrich.

The final one of the three stooges was in shock at how easily the two kids had handled his partners. To him, those kids were nothing but brats who needed to learn a lesson. He quickly let his anger take control, and showed it by yelling at his two flunkies. "You idiots! Get up and be serious!"

At this, the two other bandits quickly gathered themselves and reformed their original formation in a semi-circle around Lloyd and Genis. The leader then gave the signal for them all to charge at them at once, apparently growing impatient at his group's incompetence and deciding to try to end it once and for all. They quickly surged forward, quickly closing the gap between them and the two strangers.

Lloyd only smiled at this situation and set one of his blades behind him with the tip slightly imbedded in the sand. He waited until he estimated them to be only a couple feet away, then swiftly drew the blade forward and around in a circle surrounding him and Genis. The leader saw this and tried to stop, but it was too late.

"DEMONIC CIRCLE!" Lloyd cried out, bringing his other blade down swiftly, crashing it into the sand. This impact released a large shockwave that caught all three thieves into its range, and then sent them all flying into the air, eventually crashing to the ground in a small pile. Lloyd felt satisfied and sheathed his swords. He stood there for a moment, basking in his glory of victory, and then suddenly tensed at the sudden rush of weakness he felt within himself. He had forgotten of the strain of using his biggest techniques while in his younger and unfortunately weaker form. It took all of his willpower not to succumb to it and instead chose for carefully sitting down as if intending to still rest a little before resuming their journey.

Genis was in awe of his friend as he stood behind him. Never had he seen such a powerful technique used, let alone form his best friend! He stared at Lloyd as he sat, and wondered as to how he became so powerful and skilled so quickly. His curiosity eventually got the best of him and he voiced his question. "Lloyd, how in the world did you do that? That was incredible!"

Lloyd tensed at his question, well aware that he wasn't going to escape this one easily. "Well, I'm not sure. Maybe it was from that boost from before?" He said hopefully.

Genis didn't buy it for one second. "No way. That would have already worn off by now. I can tell by your mana level. Why don't you try telling me the real reason?" He asked sharply.

Lloyd cringed a little at this. It was hard enough having to lie to his friend, now he has to come up with something off the top of his head. (And as we all know, that's near impossible.)

"Alright, Genis. I'll tell you the real reason. Come here a second." Lloyd said. He waited for his friend to sit next to him and then he began. "You see Genis, the reason that you haven't seen those techniques before is, well…" He drifted off, still trying to think of an answer, when it finally hit him.

"Yes?" Genis said, leaning forward so as to pay attention.

"I was saving those techniques. Yeah that's it, I was saving them. I don't really use them unless it's an emergency or something like that, you understand? Aside from that, they can take a serious toll on my body if I use them too much. Does that satisfy you?" He finished.

Genis thought it over for a moment. True, he hadn't ever even see Lloyd train, so there wasn't really much to look at for evidence to support him there. However, Lloyd had never lied to him before, so why would he start now? "Alright, I guess I can believe that. One other thing. What made you want me to use only earth spells out here?"

Lloyd replied "Simple. We're in an area that has plenty of earth material, so why not use it?"

Genis shook his head at this. "No, that doesn't make sense. There's always plenty of material around to use for that spell. What was the real reason?"

Lloyd sighed a little. It was at times like this that he wished his friend wasn't so smart and curious. Then again, if he wasn't, then it was likely that he as well as the others would have been in some pretty bad situations before.

"Alright, how about this? The real reason is that I thought that since this is a mainly earth area, that it would have made your spell stronger than what it usually is. That way, when you used it, it would have more of an effect than what it had before." Lloyd finished. He looked up to see his friend's reaction and almost laughed when he did. To see Genis Sage appear struck dumb is a priceless expression to see.

Genis' mind, however, was in a shocked state, which appeared to be happening quite often as of late. His friend, who had shown no interest in magic, elements, or anything of the sort, had just gave him a correct answer dealing with elemental affinities. "How…How do you know that?" Genis asked, now amazed at how much his friend's intellect had increased. For him to make a jump in brains from barely passing class to elemental affinities is quite amazing.

Lloyd just simply shrugged and said "Read it in a book once. Come on, we need to get going." He got up and started to walk, but stopped when he didn't hear his friend's footsteps behind him. Looking back, he was greeted with the sight of Genis face down in the sand, his voice muffled as he mumbled into the ground.

"Uh, Genis? Are you okay?" Lloyd asked.

Genis got up out of the sand and repeated his words. "Since when do you read?!" he exclaimed.

"Grrr…Shut it, Genis! Now let's go!" Lloyd yelled in response, and then continued walking. Genis ran up quickly to catch up to him, and they resumed their journey to Triet.

* * *

After another hour of walking, they finally reached Triet, much to their immediate relief. Walking in the desert for hours is not an experience that Lloyd wanted to repeat again, even if it was for something as important as catching up with the chosen. Their jubilation was cut short however, when they caught sight of two desians from Forcystus' ranch. Lloyd saw them first, and quickly hushed Genis and signaled for him to follow him. Quickly sneaking into a small hiding place in the form of a camel shelter, they sat in silence and watched as they put some sort of paper on the message board. They remained there until they left. They soon got up and left Noishe there so he could cool off.

Walking up to the board they had seen the desians stand by, Lloyd quickly recognized the picture that was supposed to depict him. Lloyd became slightly disturbed at this, because the picture showed only a disproportionate picture of him. His head was bigger than what it actually was, and they had done his hairstyle all wrong. It is then that Lloyd realized one of his many mistakes: He had actually left the poster up when he should have just got rid of it.

Ripping it off the board, Lloyd smashed the paper between his hands and crumpled it into a tiny ball. He then threw it to a nearby camel, which then proceeded to pick it up and chew on it. Lloyd knew that there was no way for him to be recognized now. Genis however, became frightened at Lloyd's actions.

"Lloyd, what are you doing? We'll get in trouble!" Genis whispered quickly, as if someone was spying on them right now.

Lloyd just simply smiled and replied "No we won't. If my picture isn't up, people won't recognize me, making it easier for us to get around, see?" In Lloyd's mind however, he was just satisfied with getting rid of the picture. He couldn't stand just looking so ridiculous. "Come on, let's go to the market. We need to stock up on some items."

Genis just stood there, mouth agape. What had gotten into his friend? One day, he was acting normal as he had known him. Even though Lloyd's normal would be considered demented by most people's standards, it was different from this new Lloyd. Now, Lloyd acted so…so…rebellious! Okay, maybe rebellious isn't the right word, more like, well, whatever word other than rebellious that could explain it! Regardless, this was not the same Lloyd he had once known.

He quickly caught up to Lloyd and began to question him. "Lloyd, what's up with you lately? You've become someone completely different than the Lloyd I've known all these years!"

Lloyd shifted his attention away from the shops that he was passing and looked at Genis with a pleasant expression on his face. If only his friend knew. "Genis, what are you talking about? The heat isn't getting to you, is it?"

Genis shook his head furiously. "No, that's not it! The techniques, the strength, and the new intelligence you have even! It's almost as if you're not Lloyd at all!"

Lloyd stumbled at this, but quickly regained his footing as he walked. He couldn't possibly have been that dumb, could he have? Then again, he had gotten a 25 on the Palmacosta test. Lloyd mentally groaned as he began to realize how much different he actually looked. Maybe this time he'll just flunk the test on purpose so that everyone wouldn't suspect anything.

"Genis don't worry about it. It really is me, I guess it's just that I've decided to take this journey seriously is all." Lloyd said simply.

Genis became confused at this and asked "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I'm not going to take this journey lightly. There are a lot of things we have to take care of on this journey, even though it seems that it is only Colette who has the responsibility of the journey. We have to protect her, or else otherwise she might get hurt. But there's something else I think you should know Genis." Lloyd stated in response.

Genis looked at Lloyd curiously and asked "What is it?"

Lloyd looked into the distance as he spoke. This was something he had been thinking about for some time. If he was going to get anyone to help him, he had to let the truth be known to someone, and he might as well start with Genis. "The way you've seen me fight, it's because I'm not going to hold back anymore. Before, I was afraid of showing too much. I didn't want anyone to know what I was really capable of, because then I would be too predictable. But now that we're on the Journey of Regeneration, I want to show the world what I'm capable of. Even you'd be surprised at how much I'll improve when you see me in an actual fight."

Genis took this in, and began to realize how much truth there could be to Lloyd's words. Could he really have been holding back all this time, so as to lead everyone around him to see a false version of Lloyd? This would explain the sudden increase in strength and intellect that he had witnessed. And to be honest, Genis was surprised not to have caught it himself beforehand. This lead him to wonder as to how much Lloyd's abilities could extend now. His thoughts were cut short however, as Lloyd brought them to an abrupt stop in front of a shop.

Lloyd's eyes had come across a pair of blades he recognized as the Knight's Sabers. Sensing the urgency within himself to purchase them, he immediately picked them as well as a new kendama for Genis. He paid the merchant. And they moved onward from there back towards the inn. Lloyd felt pretty satisfied with the purchases he had made, thinking about how much damage he could do now with real swords instead of wooden ones. Genis held his new kendama gingerly, thinking along the same thoughts as Lloyd did. Well, except for the fact that in his mind, he was taller, more muscular, and had a girlfriend. (Oh, the woes of being a midget mage.)

When they came to a junction in the middle of the town, Lloyd recognized the path that led to the fortune-teller's house and considered visiting her. Then again, he already knew that they were heading for the Fire seal, so there was almost no point in going at all. Lloyd just turned his head back down the path to the inn and kept going.

As they proceeded onward to the inn, Lloyd was ready to just relax when he heard something that sounded similar to metal clanging sound form behind him. Scanning around him quickly with his eyes, Lloyd couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary. He then quickly realized he was using his angel senses instead of his normal senses. Turning his head around to look better, he quickly focused on the marketplace they had just left. He then recognized the same uniform that was on the desians at Forcystus' ranch.

_Damn, and just when everything was going good, too. _Lloyd thought bitterly, reminiscing about the whole incident with them before. But back then, Lloyd interrupted himself, he had been unaware of their presence. Now that he knew that they were there, he had the advantage of surprise on his side.

He quickly drew Genis to the side behind an abandoned well and stifled his cry of surprise with his other hand. Putting a finger to his mouth to silence him, he pointed silently over the well's edge for Genis to look. Genis got on his knees and peeked over the edge of the well to see 3 desians walking towards the board.

He quickly ducked back down and whispered to Lloyd "What are we going to do? We can't take them on all at once!"

Lloyd shook his head and smiled mischievously. "Oh, yes we can. They don't know that we're here, and that can let us surprise them."

Genis looked confused and asked "How?"

Lloyd just smiled and said "See how their focused on the board?"

Genis looked over the edge again to get a better look. The desians were indeed looking at the board, all 3 of them! Apparently, the shock of seeing their poster go missing was something they were having trouble comprehending. Genis got back on his knees and said "Yeah, what about it?"

Lloyd flexed his fingers together and popped them. "Watch and learn, Genis. I'm about to show you what I mean by what I said earlier." He started to get up, and then stopped when another thought came to him. How was he supposed to protect himself from the electricity bolt that was supposed to knock him out? He quickly answered himself, Genis could do it.

"Lloyd, what is it? Is something the matter?" Genis asked, worried for his friend.

"Nothings wrong Genis. But if you want to help out, you can watch the entranceway over there to make sure no one else comes. If someone does, I want you to try and stop them. If you can't, holler at me, and I'll handle it, alright?" Lloyd stated calmly.

Genis nodded his head to show he understood. "Good. Now, let's see just how well these guys are trained to fight." Lloyd said, pulling out his swords, and smiling at the sound of sliding metal as he pulled them out. He walked out from behind the well and quickly snuck around behind the desians. Stopping behind them, he quickly positioned himself to attack and thought of one of the techniques he'd like to use. Imagining the perfect one for such circumstances, Lloyd set one blade behind him and took a stance to emphasize the swing of the blade.

He then yelled "Hey! Desian idiots! Looking for me?" His call had the desired effect, as all three soldiers turned around at the voice, and did a double-take between him and the poster that they held in their hands. "You! You're wanted criminal #0074, Lloyd Irving! What do you think you're doing?" One of the desians said as they each pulled out their assorted whips and swords as he spoke.

Lloyd smiled and said "This. DEMONIC CHAOS!" He swiftly drew his blade forward and released the first wave of energy. He soon followed with the second and third waves of the assault. The desians tried to move, but failed to dodge the assault. One was hit by the first wave and sent to the ground on his back, knocked out. The other two were launched by the remaining two waves and slammed into the wall of the inn. They fell to the ground in a heap and didn't move afterwards.

Lloyd just simply chuckled at this and said to himself, "Not bad, am I?" He was about to sheath his swords when he remembered what was supposed to happen next. Someone was supposed to shoot him with electricity and knock him out with it. Even as he stood there, he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in anticipation. When he turned around, he saw two renegades standing by the entrance, one charging a ball of electricity in his hand.

He was about to attack them as well when Genis beat him to the punch. "Fireball!" he cried out, and three balls of flame shot out, striking the two enemies and upsetting the attack. The one who was using the electricity stumbled against the wall, while the other one merely stood his ground. He turned and was about to give a good beating to the brat who had dared to attack him, but was stopped when he heard Lloyd rush forward.

He pulled out his sword so and charged as well to meet him head on. Lloyd rapidly drew the sword in his left hand back a little into a ramming stance, and then cried "Super-Sonic Thrust!" Energy surrounded his sword as he shoved it forward, giving it speed and power to add to the hit. The desian tried to pull up his sword so as to prevent it from harming him, but for all the good it did, he might as well have used a pillow. Lloyd's sword pierced through his, and he flew back and rolled onto the ground, groaning in pain. Lloyd then proceeded to walk over to the desian who had gone to the wall, who was still trying to recover from the magic spell Genis cast. He tried to pull out his sword, but Lloyd merely put the tip of his blade to his throat and said "Don't even think about it."

The desian stiffened for a moment, then relented, throwing his sword down and sliding back against the wall and to the ground. Lloyd signaled for Genis to come out of the hiding place, acknowledging it was safe to come out. He walked over to Lloyd and asked "Well, now what do we do? You aren't gonna kill him, are you?"

Lloyd shook his head and said "No, I have no desire to kill him. But he can still be useful to us. Since he's with the desians, perhaps he can use their technology to tell us where our friends are. If he does, we might let him go without hurting him anymore. I think that's a fair trade, don't you?"

Genis thought about Lloyd's plan for a moment before saying "But won't that mean going to their base? How are we gonna get around the rest of the guards there?"

Lloyd replied "Simple. We'll have this guy act as if we're his prisoners, and he'll pretend to be taking us to their jail cells. And if he objects, well…" Lloyd drifted off, and looked solemnly towards the soldier, who was rapt with attention at their conversation. His head perked up a little as he realized they were talking about him. Lloyd continued "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

And with that, the small group soon left the town and began their trip to the Renegade base to find their friends. The renegade soldier walked in front of the group, with Lloyd right behind him so as to prevent him from escaping. Genis was in the back, keeping an eye out in case anyone tried to ambush them. Lloyd realized the risk he was taking with this bet, but this was well worth it if he could leave a lasting impression on Yuan as well as the rest of the Renegades.

* * *

Author's notes: Phew, finally done! Well, what do you think? Read and Review! 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's notes: Alright, let's get started on the next chapter. I don't have much to say here, so I'll be quick. This chapter is longer than the one's before it, just to warn you, so be ready to read. Also, sorry on the long update. I got a little sidetracked, mixed with a little writer's block, but it's all good now.

Also, thanks to Mee Yah for giving me an idea for this story. It really helped to shape up how I could write this one, so thanks!

And now, Disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th does not own tales of Symphonia, Namco does because they have lawyers.

Me: Always remember kids, avoid lawsuits! Now, on with the show!

EDIT: This chapter has undergone editing. As such, old readers will have to re-read. Sorry, folks. But the new ones, who are reading this for the first time, ignore this note.

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

The small group was making its way towards the Renegade base after there small fight in Triet. The Renegade soldier that had been captured was in the front, leading the way with Lloyd behind him to prevent any escapes. The soldier wanted to just simply run, but after seeing what Lloyd had done to the other soldiers, couldn't out of fear of having the same happen to him.

Genis was in the back, walking along casually instead of tense as he was earlier. Usually, he'd be worried about what they were doing, but he too was affected after seeing Lloyd fight, feeling more relaxed thinking that he could handle it if the need arose. He couldn't wait to see Raine again, and tell her about all that's happened! _I just hope she doesn't slap me again,_ Genis thought, remembering all the other times he'd done something dangerous and had gotten "scolded" for it.

Lloyd was walking behind the soldier, switching between a tense and cautious march to an easy and calm walk. He kept using his angel senses occasionally, to make sure that no one was trying to sneak up on them as they walked. If there was an attack, the odds would not be in their favor.

It was during one of his tense periods that he sensed a presence in his mind. Subconsciously, he put one of his hands to the hilt of his blades and rescanned the area, but he relaxed once he realized that it was only Origin trying to speak with him. Facing the road and steering his eyes straight ahead, if one were to look at Lloyd now, they'd see him looking at the road. What they don't see is him reaching into the corners of his mind in search of Origin. He eventually located his presence, and sought him out.

_'Origin? What is it?'_

Relax pact-maker. You are in no danger. I am merely thinking about your meeting with Yuan, and that you are going to need to be careful once you enter and meet him. One wrong word, and your life could quite possibly end.

'_No worries, Origin. I already know what to say, and how he will react. It will go smoothly.'_

Yuan was going to be in for quite a surprise when they finally met…

* * *

They had been walking for a few more minutes after that when the base finally came into view. It stood high in the desert and stuck out easily. Most people would probably see it if it wasn't for it being hidden behind a large rock jutting out of the sand, towering over the base impressively. They quickly proceeded to the entrance where they were met by two guards. Lloyd tensed slightly at this, he hadn't expected there to be guards at the door.

"Halt! State your business here!" A guard yelled, noticing their oncoming presence. They stopped and waited for them to approach them. Lloyd quickly whispered to the soldier "I'm going to act as your prisoner, understand? If you try anything, I promise that you and you're friends here will regret it." The soldier stood there in stunned silence before replying, "O-okay." Lloyds then stood back and waited for the guards to arrive.

When they finally reached them, one of the guards looked toward Lloyd and Genis and questioned "Why are these two civilians here? Are they prisoners?"

The soldier quickly remembered what Lloyd had said and replied, "Yeah that's it they are my prisoners. Well the one in red is, at least. I brought along the kid just in case. The red one needs be seen by Lord Yuan." He had wanted to get revenge on Lloyd for the assault on his friend, so the soldier took his chance to obtain it. He could care less what happened to the little kid.

The other guards looked at each other a moment before saying "All right. Bring him in, but let the kid go. I don't think we've got any reason to hold a fellow kinsman hostage, anyway."

Genis, upon hearing this, became slightly frantic and looked at Lloyd, who just simply mouthed "Go" and smiled. He took a few steps back before nodding, and then quickly ran off. Genis ran until he knew that they couldn't see him anymore. He stopped and quickly began to think. Lloyd was brave, but he wasn't sure that he could handle them alone. He looked up and, upon seeing Noishe, began to form a plan. He would head back to town first, and then find the fortune-teller that was in town to find his friends.

* * *

Meanwhile, back with Lloyd, the guards had let him and the soldier pass and enter. They instructed him to be taken to Lord Yuan for interrogation to see why he needed him here. As they proceeded inside and the doors closed, Lloyd quickly resumed the position of dominance by quickly knocking out the soldier with his sheath, hitting him across the back of his head. After storing him away in a random, but convenient, closet, he started to walk through the base.

He knew that Yuan would not be found for a while, since his office was deep within the base. He would also have to be careful for the security watch that is placed within the building. One wrong move and he would be spotted and attacked. The main goal of his mission was to keep up stealth, so as to prevent that from happening.

After walking for a few minutes through the corridors of the building, he eventually came across a large room. Looking around the room, he saw that there was nothing really special to the room at all. In the center was a strange looking device, large enough to occupy the entire middle of the room. Lloyd assumed it to be another of the Renegades' technological marvels. He walked forward until he heard footsteps approaching. Realizing he was in the open, Lloyd dashed towards the device and hid in one of the crevices that the device created due to its massiveness.

True to his suspicions, two soldiers walked in to the room, swords drawn. Apparently, someone had attacked one of their soldiers and had stuffed him in a storage closet. They were told to spread out and search for the intruder. They were given a simple description by the revived soldier, who identified him as wearing mostly red and wielded two swords. They began to search the room to see if he was hiding.

Lloyd began to sweat as he heard the footsteps grow closer to his location. Thinking quickly, he realized that he would have to take them out if he was found out. Drawing his two swords silently, he lied in wait as they approached his position. He heard them come closer and come to a stop in front of him, where he had been standing a few moments before. Lloyd silently thanked Martel for his swiftness in moving.

The two guards looked around, and not seeing anything, took the moment to take a break. One guard finally decided to speak his thoughts. "Man, I wonder what the big deal is. For all we know, the guy might have just hit his head again on his helmet too hard like he has before. Remember?"

The other guard thought about it for a moment, and shook his head in disbelief. "Nah, he seemed pretty serious about this one. He even described the guy, and he doesn't really do that. Besides, cut the guy a break. These helmets are pretty hard if you hit them right."

The first retorted, "And you would know all about that, wouldn't you?" he ended sniggering at his partner.

"Oh, shut up. Come on, let's go. It's obvious that he isn't in here." The second guard said, sheathing his sword and walking toward the exit that Lloyd had entered from. The other guard followed suit, and the room was silent save for Lloyd's breathing after holding it in to hide himself. In his mind though, he was curious as to the guards' behavior. He had thought that all the guards were always serious, but hearing this made him curious as to how they really were. He even felt sorry for the guy he knocked out. Shaking these thoughts off for later, he proceeded towards the door they had came from and continued through the base.

* * *

Genis had finally returned to town with Noishe's assistance. Quickly walking through town, he found the fortune-teller's tent. Walking in, he was greeted with a sight of a dark interior, probably to shade the Fortune-teller from the heat. There were various bottles of liquids stacked on a shelf on one side, with another shelf with various books on the opposite side. The fortune-teller herself wasn't too impressive of a sight. She had your usual attire of a fortune-teller, with the large turban covering her head and the excessive jewelry covering her fingers.

The fortune-teller took notice of Genis' presence, and beckoned him forward with a wave of her hand. He walked forward and sat in one of the chairs meant for one of her customers. The woman closed her eyes for a moment before looking Genis straight in the eye. "Well, what is it that you seek, child? A path perhaps to greater heights? Or maybe, you seek someone?" she asked solemnly.

Genis felt a little irked by the covered comment about his height and did his best not to show it. Instead, he focused on his current task. "Yes, I am looking for someone, or rather, a few people. I'm trying to find my friends. Do you think you can help?"

The Fortune-teller closed her eyes and placed her hands on the crystal ball placed in front of her. "I will see if I can help. Please be patient, this may take a few minutes."

Genis sat there in silence, hoping that she would be quick, knowing that with each passing second, Lloyd's life could be in more and more danger.

* * *

Speaking of Lloyd, he was currently running to escape the pursuit of more guards, due to an unfortunate slip on his part. He had been walking along one of the many random corridors, trying to find Yuan's room so as to initiate his plan, when he heard two guards coming around the corner of the intersection in front of him. Quickly side-stepping out of the way and into a room, he waited until they passed and let out a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, his sigh was to be his undoing, due to the fact he was hiding within the lounge room of the Renegades, where a good five of them were currently resting and relaxing. He would have gotten away without them noticing had he not sighed, which brought all of their attention to him, which led to him currently being chased through the base. He ran swiftly, trying to escape them, but they managed to keep up with him.

He finally went through one door and quickly side-stepped again into a conveniently placed closet. He waited until he heard them rush by, and after hearing the sounds of footsteps fade away, nearly sank to his knees in relief. He quickly headed back out and doubled back, and took another route down another corridor. Coming upon a door that seemed bigger than the entire one's before it, Lloyd assumed he was making progress. He walked through the door.

Stepping into the room, Lloyd recognized it as one he had passed through before when he first came through on his first journey. The room itself wasn't special, but rather the object in the middle was what drew most people's attention. It was a large, cubed-shaped object, and seemed to be rotating and floating at the same time.

Lloyd stared at it in slight amazement and curiosity, wondering who in their right mind would make this sort of thing, and what purpose it would serve. Quickly recollecting his thoughts, he began to walk around the room and around the strange object and saw what he was looking for. Behind the large machine in the middle were three pillars, each looking to be inactive. Lloyd did his best to remember this part, wanting not to waste time trying to fix them in the right way.

He started to walk towards them when he suddenly realized something: He had forgotten to change the Sorcerer's ring's element to lightning! Lloyd smacked himself upside the head and cursed himself for not paying attention. Lloyd now realized just how difficult it was for Raine to teach him. He just simply couldn't pay attention when he needed to most!

Looking around the room, he began to search around for an alternate source. _Hmm, let's see. Computer screen, three pillars without electricity, Sorcerer's Ring pillar, another random computer screen-wait a second!_ Lloyd whipped back around. And lo and behold, it was a Sorcerer's Ring pillar!

Thanking whatever deity was responsible for this; Lloyd rushed forward to it and quickly switched the elements. Sighing with relief, Lloyd walked back to the deactivated pillars and stopped in front of the middle one. Shooting a ball of electricity at it, it turned on with a loud grinding of gears and flow of electricity. The machine in the middle of the room began to redirect its rotations to match the new signals it was receiving, and finally stopped.

Lloyd then shot another ball towards the pillar to the left, and the same thing happened again. The machine in the middle switched its rotations again, stopping and letting out a simple "Click!" sound. Lloyd looked toward the door that he needed to open and smiled upon seeing the light above it turn green. He ran through the door and charged onwards.

* * *

Genis had been sitting inside the Fortune-teller's tent for several minutes now, and his patience was quickly dwindling away. She had been sitting in the exact same position the entire time, and every time that Genis tried to speak, she rudely shushed him, saying it would break her concentration. As he sat there, Genis could feel his rage building, as well as the compulsive need to set the tent aflame for the wait.

Now normally, Genis was a person of common sense, and setting something on fire wasn't something someone with common sense usually did. However, he was starting to become lenient towards just leaving and looking for his friends himself instead of sitting here wasting time.

Genis finally just gave up on the fortune-teller. He looked up and said "Alright, forget this. It's obvious you're not going to find them, so I'll just be on my way." He started to turn to leave when he heard a familiar voice call to him. "Genis? Is that you?"

He turned to see one of the most relieving sights he'd seen in a while. "Colette!" He said and ran out to meet her. Sure enough, it was Colette, as well as Kratos and Raine who were accompanying her. They each seemed to have an accumulation of dirt on their clothes, as if they had just gone through a desert storm.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? Where have you guys been? You're covered in dirt!" Genis asked, taking in the rugged appearance of the people in front of him.

Colette was about to respond when Raine cleared her throat, apparently wishing to speak before Colette. Genis immediately felt his rage with the fortune-teller vanish, replaced with instant fear of the monarch of terror before him. That's right, Raine is ticked at Genis. (Poor midget mage. If only he was a bit taller.)

Raine stepped forward and stopped just in front of Genis. She stared him down in the eyes and spoke only one word. "Explain."

Genis immediately shrank back and stepped back a few steps to stay out of his sister's range of fire. "Wh-What do you mean?" He stuttered.

Raine's eyes narrowed and she replied, "You know what I mean. What are you doing here? Why have you left Iselia?" She said all of this in a calm, level tone, meaning one of two things: She was either going to almost murder Genis the next time she get's her hands on him, or that she is waiting for a good response which would actually explain why he was here.

Genis sighed and relaxed slightly, he wasn't dead yet. He took a deep breath and began to explain all that happened, starting from the morning they had left. Once he had finished, Raine's expression had changed from anger to a sorrowful and pitying look. After hearing all that her brother and Lloyd had been through, she could understand the situation they were in now.

Colette also seemed to grow sad after hearing the tale. She was also worried about Lloyd, being all alone inside the base. She turned to Raine and Kratos and said "We have to help Lloyd. He's in danger being there all by himself."

Raine nodded her head and replied "You're right. As much as I would hate to sidetrack ourselves from the journey, I don't think we can avoid this. Kratos, do you have any objections?"

Everyone turned to the purple-clad warrior who had been silent the whole time. In his mind, though he didn't show it, he was worried for Lloyd's safety. If he was inside the Renegade base, and if Yuan found him… Kratos quickly severed those thoughts from his head. He couldn't think like that. "I have none. I suggest we hurry however. The more time we waste here, the more likely Lloyd could be harmed." _Or worse…_Kratos thought darkly, as they immediately made preparations to cross the desert to rescue Lloyd from his peril.

* * *

Lloyd, strangely enough, was actually avoiding peril quite well while walking through the final area of the base. There were no guards anywhere, at least as far as he could hear or see, and there were no cameras. He must be getting close to reaching Yuan, although it was a little odd to him that Yuan did not desire having cameras around his area. Being the leader of the Renegades, perhaps he merely just had too much confidence in his abilities as a fighter.

As Lloyd walked, he finally came across another door that stood out from the others. Probably because it had the label "Yuan's Office" above it, but you could also say it's natural instinct. Lloyd stood there a moment reviewing his plan to talk to Yuan before pushing a button on the console next to the door, opening it.

Walking inside, he noticed it was definitely different than the rooms before. The floor, instead of the usual metal layering, was covered with a dark red ruggish floor. There were a couple of shelves next to a desk which lay near the back of the room, with a weird painting overshadowing the desk that Lloyd couldn't make heads or tails of.

On the shelves were various books that dealt with different areas of education, from history to a listing of certain animal and plants in the world. Unfortunately, none of these things are what drew Lloyd's attention. Instead, it was what was in the chair of the desk that was currently making Lloyd wish he had one of those magitetechnology cameras.

Yuan, the brave leader of the Renegades, one of the Seraphim, the very fiancé of Martel, Mithos' sister, was asleep. Yes, you read correctly, Yuan was asleep.

He had his head down, lying on some random papers, snoring lightly. Lloyd thought about it and realized that if his dad were there right now, he would so use this for blackmail later on. He decided that since he would need Yuan on his side later on, he might as well save him from the humiliation.

However, that doesn't mean he still can't have some fun while he can.

Sneaking up quietly to Yuan so as not to disturb him, he stopped right in front of him and thought for a moment about what to do. Getting an idea, he looked around the desk quickly and found what he was looking for: a pencil.

Picking it up silently, he stood in silence for a moment before taking his first course of action.

POKE

The pencil's eraser was jabbed lightly onto Yuan's forehead, whose face just twitched a little bit before swiping the pencil away.

POKE POKE

Again, the pencil jabbed at Yuan, who became slightly more irritated and swiped harder, then pulled one of his arms up to cover his forehead.

POKE POKE POKE

This one finally seemed to do the trick, as Yuan groaned loudly before raising his head up and rubbing his eyes. "What is it, you fool? I told you not to come in without knocking first, didn't I?" He raised one groggy eye up, but the figure in front of him was hidden in the glow of one of the fluorescent lights above him.

"Well, good morning to you too. You're not a morning person, are you?" The figure said, and stepped out of the light's glow. He was clad in a large red jumpsuit with buttons going up and around the shirt. His pants were black and held up by two suspenders, one on each side. He had two swords at his side, one on each.

Yuan sat there a moment before realization clicked in. Standing in front of him, in his base, in _his_ office, was the intruder he'd seen on the other security cameras. He sat there for a moment again before he realized just how vulnerable a position he was in.

He leapt back out of his chair and immediately threw off his cape and drew his blade hidden behind his back. "You! You're the intruder who's been running around causing chaos in my base! How did you get in here?" He said while taking a defensive posture.

Lloyd drew his two blades, eager to fight. "Simple. I walked here. Do we really have to fight? All I wanted to do was talk."

Yuan replied simply "Sorry, but I see no need to talk to someone as pathetic as you. You managed to sneak yourself all the way here, for that I'll give you credit. But now you face a true warrior! Prepare yourself!" He then launched himself towards Lloyd, and the fight began.

* * *

Genis and the others had finally come across the base by following Noishe. Thankfully, the dog-wolf hybrid had remembered the path they had taken previously before, which had saved them from wandering aimlessly around the desert. They had quickly proceeded into the base, but their progress was hindered by the presence of the rest of the guards there.

We now come across them currently running through the base with 4 guards pursuing them. They had decided before going in that they should not waste time trying to fight when their goal was only to get Lloyd and escape. Even though they had agreed to it in the end, it hadn't been exactly the best choice. They had barely escaped the guards at the door, let alone having to run into anyone else in the base.

_Hang on Lloyd,_ Genis thought to himself,_ we're coming to get you. You just had better still be alive._

* * *

Lloyd and Yuan had been fighting for several minutes now, both matching each other's blows strike for strike. When one attacked, the other defended according to the type of assault. They eventually came to a stalemate when both swung their blades at the same time and the blades clashed. They stood for a moment, trying to overpower the other, when they both finally pushed back and separated, putting a few feet between the two.

Lloyd was in pretty good shape for taking on Yuan alone. He had had a few close calls, but he had defended well against his attacks. His clothes had an occasional tear or two in random places, due to Yuan's ferocity. Other than that, Lloyd was holding up well for taking on such a rigorous challenge.

Yuan, on the other hand, was not necessarily injured, but he was rather shocked at Lloyd's abilities. When they first began, he assumed that he would easily overpower him due to the obvious difference in their age. He had also assumed that he was merely dealing with some sort of vigilante who wanted to be rid of the desians by taking matters into his own hands.

But when Lloyd easily blocked his attacks and managed to unleash his own assault, he quickly realized he wasn't dealing with some average swordfighter. He had gone on the defensive, which was something that Yuan not only didn't like doing because it meant he wasn't fighting hard enough, it also meant he was dealing with a strong opponent. And for him to be taken on by himself, by some mere kid, meant he was dealing with someone truly powerful.

The office was in ruins due to their brief struggle. The desk and bookshelves were still intact, but cut up with papers littering the floor everywhere. Both fighters had temporarily come to a standstill so as to catch their breath.

Yuan straightened himself so as to speak properly. "Huff…huff…I didn't expect you to last this long. It appears I may have underestimated you." He said.

Lloyd picked himself up a little and replied "Same here. I knew you were strong, but I might have been wrong about taking you on by myself."

"Hmm? How's that?" Yuan asked, curious to what the boy meant.

Lloyd grinned and said "When I first came here, I thought I would just simply take you out quickly so as to prevent a struggle. I guess I was wrong."

Yuan couldn't help but grin himself. He didn't know what it was, but this kid was definitely someone special. He even considered for a moment possibly asking him to join alongside him. Someone this good would prove to be a valuable ally in the long run.

"I've got an idea. Why don't you join alongside me? We could use someone as talented as you are." Yuan said.

Lloyd was caught off guard by this question. Since when did Yuan offer a job like that? The last time they met, heck, every time they met, it was strictly business. And here he was now, making what sounded like a job proposal to him. He had wanted Yuan to be on his side, but this was almost ridiculous! "What do you mean? Last I checked, you considered me an enemy, or was that fighting a few minutes ago just some sort of game for you?" Lloyd asked.

Yuan shook his head and replied "No, it's not that. You're a pretty serious fighter, I can tell. Not too many people have managed to fight against me for that long and still remain standing. It could quite benefit you to join us, and help me with our plans."

Lloyd chuckled and almost started laughing at the situation he was in. This guy was basically asking him to kill Colette just because he's a good fighter. He decided it was finally time for him to rattle Yuan's head. "Let me guess. You plan on assassinating the chosen one, because you believe the whole Regeneration Journey is in fact a cover-up for another scheme, in which the chosen one is used for a much worse purpose than merely regenerating the world."

If Yuan was shocked before, he was completely dumbfounded now. First, this kid manages to get all the way to the center of the base to his office. Then he matches him in combat skills. And now he knows what their plans were? Just who the hell was this kid?! "How…How did you know that? We haven't told anyone about this, not even the Grand Cardinals!" Yuan asked nervously, leaning on his weapon for support due to the shock.

_Calm down, Yuan. Maybe he doesn't know about everything. He's close, but at least he doesn't know were really the Renegades and not desians._ Thought Yuan erratically, hoping there was at least one secret he could manage to keep.

Lloyd just smiled and said "It's really quite simple." He stopped for a moment, making sure Yuan was listening before continuing. "You see, I'm from the future."

Yuan stood there in complete silence and just blinked. He then fell anime-style to the ground, and began to consider if maybe this kid was just crazy. He jumped back up and yelled "Are you out of your mind?! There's no way your from the future! You're just crazy is all you are!" In Yuan's mind, it all made sense to him. Of course he's crazy, how else could he accurately guess their plans?

Lloyd shook his head and replied "No really, I'm from the future. I can prove it too." Lloyd was now slightly worried. He couldn't reveal too much to Yuan. Not only would it be too much of a shock, he might also actually try to kill him if he reveals too much.

Now it was Yuan's turn to laugh. "Oh, really? And how do you plan to prove it? Are you going to show me some sort of fancy magitetechnology that will immediately convince me that you are in fact from the future?" he said, thinking of how great a story this will make when Botta gets back.

_Aside from that, time-travel is literally impossible right now. Not even my top scientists and engineers could develop a safe way to time-travel, so how could this brat possibly do it? _Yuan thought to himself smugly.

Lloyd sighed, realizing this was gonna be harder than he expected. He knew that Yuan wouldn't accept it at first, so how was he going to break those thoughts? _By telling him the one thing that only he would know._ He thought morosely to himself.

"You want proof? Fine, here it is." Lloyd said, then stopped before continuing and said "You may want to sit down for this." Yuan sat in his chair and looked up to Lloyd. "Well, let's hear it." Yuan said, and directed his full attention at Lloyd.

Lloyd sighed, feeling slightly stressed and worried now. He had to say this right. "The one thing that I can do to prove to you that I am, in fact, from the future, is by saying this:" Lloyd stopped again, and focused his eyes straight into Yuan's.

"You were the secret fiancé of Martel Yggdrasill, sister to Mithos Yggdrasill of the Kharlan War. He didn't know at the time, but you and she were going to marry each other, until she was killed. You even still have the ring to this day." Lloyd said solemnly, never once blinking as his eyes bore into those of Yuan's now wide-open one's.

There was silence in the room for a moment, as Yuan sat there, mouth open wide and eyes awestruck. He hadn't moved at all, and one could barely tell that he was still breathing, save the rapid motions of his chest heaving back and forth.

_How...How?...HOW?! No one, not Kratos or Mithos, knew of this! Yet somehow, this…child comes forth, saying he's from the future, fights me till we stalemate, and then reveals my greatest secret of my life! How in the name of Martel is this possible?!_

He sat in deafening silence for a moment and lowered his head. Lloyd became concerned and asked "Yuan? Are you alright?"

Yuan suddenly stood up and looked Lloyd straight in the eyes, his own eyes reflecting authority and doubt. "Explain yourself. Now. And don't leave anything out." If this child really was from the future, then he wanted to know every detail about it.

Lloyd flinched and took a step back, then regained his composure. "Alright, but you may want to sit back down. It's a long story." As Yuan sat down, Lloyd himself sheathed his blades and began to speak.

* * *

Genis and the others had been proceeding steadily through the base now, after finally losing their pursuers. They were still on guard in case of others, but were more relaxed now that they had escaped for now. They had almost reached Lloyd's location, making it all the way to the room with the three pillars and the weird machine in the middle of the room, but were stopped by more guards.

The chosen one's group was about to draw their weapons when the door that was their exit suddenly opened, revealing Botta wielding a large clay-red blade with an exsphere embedded in it. He smiled smugly at the scene, seeing his newest intruders stopped by his guards.

"Well, well, the chosen one and her little entourage. What a surprise to see you here. I assume you're here to save your friend?" Botta said.

Colette stepped forward and asked "Where's Lloyd? What have you done with him?"

Botta looked toward Colette and replied "I have done nothing, chosen one. However, I know that he's met Yuan, so I can't say his chances at still being alive are good."

Kratos' heart immediately panged, fearing the worst. _Lloyd, he can't be dead! He simply can't be! _However he felt on the inside, Kratos didn't show it on the outside. He then stepped forward as well and said calmly "If you are looking for a fight, we can gladly give you one." He finished by placing his hand to his sword and placing his thumb against the hilt, pushed it out slightly with an audible CLICK.

Botta turned toward Kratos and his face hardened. _So, Kratos is here. This makes things more complicated._ He thought silently. He knew that the rest of the group was easy enough to handle, but to face Kratos would require his absolute best. The man could easily take out the soldiers if he wished to, so he would have to be on his guard.

Botta placed his sword forward and took his stance. "Then just try to get past me then, you fools. Guards, get them!" he then leapt forward, charging at the group with his guards flanking him at his sides and behind him.

* * *

"And that's the whole story. Are you satisfied now, Yuan?" Lloyd said, sitting now in a seat across from Yuan, who was still wearing a dumbfounded look across his face.

Yuan was, of course, dumbfounded for a good reason. The child in front of him had broken every possible withstanding belief Yuan had about him. When he first walked in, Yuan could not have predicted or even possibly foresee him becoming so powerful. Overcoming so many obstacles in his way, all the way from Sylvarant to Tethealla, then even Derris-Kharlan, just to get to where he was today, was incredible within its own standards.

When he first heard Lloyd's mentioning of the summon spirits, Yuan was doubtful to hear it. Mithos was the only one who could wield the summon spirits as far as he knew. Once he heard that Sheena was the one who could make the contracts with the Summon spirits, his opinion of the woman changed. He knew hiring her to kill the chosen one was a good choice, but upon learning this fact, he realized he had gotten a lot more than he bargained for!

Then, when he heard of how he barely managed to defeat Kratos at the Tower of Salvation, he became even more shocked. For his own son to be able to defeat him, even though he knew he was holding back, was a feat in itself. Kratos and Yuan both had had their fair share of fights in the past, and had come out equally. He knew that Kratos wouldn't go down unless it was almost an all out brawl, yet somehow Lloyd and his friends had managed it.

Finally, upon hearing that Lloyd had acquired the Eternal Sword and was capable of wielding it, Yuan almost fell out of his seat. This child, no, that's not right, this warrior in front of him, was capable of wielding the most renowned weapon in existence. He was even acknowledged by Origin, who, according to him, was still in contact with him.

When he heard how he had defeated Mithos, and had gained his wings, Yuan demanded he show him them right away. To gain the power of an angel, and to find it in the hands of this person; the odds of it were astronomical. However, upon hearing Lloyd's explanation of his new body, he realized that that demonstration would have to wait.

With all this, Yuan came to one shocking conclusion: He was way, _way,_ too old for this kind of dramatic shit.

"If all of this is true, which I assume it to be, then why tell me? What can I possibly do for you?" Yuan asked Lloyd quietly.

Lloyd smiled, finally reaching the goal of the conversation. "I want to use your resources to help me with a task I can't do now. You remember that I told you Colette is supposed to go through the transformation process to become a vessel, right?" Yuan nodded his head silently. "Well, I've already taken care of that. What I need you to do is to help tie up some loose ends that I can't handle alone."

"Go on." Yuan said, clearing his mind to pay attention.

"First, is that I need you to ensure that Palmacosta is secure. Not just in terms of defense from Desians, but the general population. From the civilians to the soldiers, all will need to be protected from what's to come. When we obtain all the pacts, that crazy event is going to happen again, and Palmacosta will almost certainly be destroyed. I need you to do what you can to prevent that from happening."

Yuan nodded. "I can and will do that. I will start right away. Is there anything else I can do?" he asked.

Lloyd thought for a moment, then remembered something else Origin had told him to ask about. "Well, there is one other thing we could do. It involves Sheena." Lloyd said thoughtfully.

Yuan's curiosity perked at this. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Lloyd looked at Yuan and replied "Well, instead of sending her as an assassin to kill Colette, why don't we add her as a guard for her? That way, we won't have any conflict with her, and we won't have to worry about Colette being targeted."

Yuan considered it for a moment. So far, Lloyd's plan was pretty efficient. Secretly changing their plans while still putting up the ruse as their enemy was quite effective in covering up their movements. But this spin on Sheena was a little odd to request. Or at least it would have been, had the circumstances not have been changed. Yuan saw what Lloyd was trying to do.

"I suppose I can do that. I still have contact with her, so I'll reach her and inform her of the change in plans. You do realize I'll have to tell her about this whole entire conversation, don't you?" Yuan asked.

Now it was Lloyd's turn to be confused. "What do you mean? I do not quite understand."

Yuan leaned forward, glad to have control of the conversation for once. "If I were to just tell her to protect Colette instead of kill her without informing her of the circumstances, it would undoubtedly cause a problem with both of you. She would become suspicious and try to get you to spill the answers. I don't think you'd want someone like her to interrogate you. I've heard of Mizuho's interrogation techniques. Trust me, their not pretty."

Lloyd realized that Yuan was correct in what he said. He had overlooked that possibility, which would probably have caused him a lot more grief than he needed. Of course, Lloyd was curious as to how she would interrogate people, which unfortunately led him to have a thought that put a slight blush to grace his features. Yuan took note of this and became curious.

"Lloyd? Is something the matter?" Yuan asked, curious to his new guest's behavior.

Lloyd blushed a little more, stopping a few shades short of his own clothes. "No, no. There's no problem at all! Really!" Lloyd said nervously, throwing his hands up in defense. _Must not think bad thoughts, must not think bad thoughts…_ was all that was going through his head right now.

Yuan shook his head and dismissed the notion. "All right, if you say so." A though suddenly darted across his mind, and he snapped his fingers. "I've just had a brainstorm. What if I also use Sheena to get you on the good side of the king?"

Lloyd's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "How would that work?"

"Simple. Sheena works as an envoy from Mizuho, who serves the kingdom of Meltokio as an information source. I can have Sheena put it in a good word for you, so to speak, so you can avoid that trouble with the Church you mentioned." Yuan explained.

"Ok. I suppose that could work, but I'll leave that to you. Make sure to tell me about it next time we meet." Lloyd said, making Yuan be the one confused now.

"What do you mean, 'Next time?'" he asked.

"I have to keep up the ruse of the journey, Yuan. This means I'll end up seeing you again. Just this time, we don't have to worry about fighting, or harming guards, fancy equipment, etc." He explained.

Yuan nodded. He suddenly took notice of how long their conversation had lasted. He knew that Lloyd would have to leave, or else otherwise, his friends may stumble across them, leading to some very awkward questions. "Lloyd, you need to leave, now! You've been here for too long! Go and find your friends, I'll inform Botta of our plans."

Lloyd quickly shot up out of his seat. "Alright. And Yuan thanks. I couldn't do this without your help."

Yuan smiled and said "You're welcome. I believe this would be a proper moment to say one of your Dwarven vows, correct?"

Lloyd though for a moment and realized Yuan was right. "Oh, yeah! Dwarven vow #1: Let's all work for a peaceful world. Good call. Well, see you around." Lloyd walked out of the office and immediately rushed backwards the way he came. He had to find his friends now, and get out of there.

Yuan watched him leave, and then sat back down in his seat, thinking about all he had heard up till now. He realized that he had just spoken with someone who literally was going to change the world. He laughed to himself a little at that. Though he knew Lloyd would probably deny it, he was very much like Mithos. Someone who wanted to change the world so everyone could have a better life, so they don't have to suffer like he and Martel had in the past.

He looked back towards the painting, which Yuan knew was a semi-damaged portrait of Martel. _May Martel be with you, Lloyd._ Yuan thought silently. He then began to pick up his damaged workplace.

* * *

Botta's situation was not good. He had assumed that the chosen's group wouldn't be strong enough to handle his attack. At first, they had stood their ground, and then they had started to push back. Slowly, they began to take out the soldiers instead of just tying with them. Now, as things stood, he was going to lose this fight.

He was in the back of the room, trying to regain his breath after quarreling with Kratos. The man was a powerful fighter, almost like a war god. He could barely defend himself against his assault, let alone get in any hits.

Colette and the gang were doing pretty well in their fights. Genis had finally gained control over all of his basic elements: Fire, water, wind, and earth. He could now start to work on strengthening his spells and becoming stronger, just like Lloyd said.

Colette had done well also. Her throwing skills with her chakrams had improved after receiving her new Dueling chakrams, which were sturdier than her previous ones. Her techniques were starting to grow stronger, so she was able to fight well.

Raine, though she wasn't directly involved in the fighting, had done decent just the same. While the group fought the soldiers, she would stay in the back and heal them so as to keep their stamina up. However, she hoped they would hurry up. She could sense her mana starting to become low, and they didn't have many orange gels.

Finally, the last soldier had fallen, and Botta was left to fend for himself from the group. He was surprised at their strength; apparently, he had underestimated them. "You really are powerful. I seem to have underestimated you." He said quietly, fatigue settling in his body. He was about to just drop his sword and run when he heard the door behind him open. Everyone turned to look to see who was entering.

"Sorry I'm late guys. I got a little lost in here, the place is so big. I see you've left someone here for me to deal with." Lloyd said calmly, walking out of the doorway and looking at Botta.

Botta instantly recognized him. "You! You're the same person from Iselia! The same one who stopped our assault on the temple!"

Genis, upon seeing his friend unharmed, save for a few scratches, immediately smiled and exclaimed "Lloyd, you're all right! We were so worried."

Colette also smiled and said "Thank goodness you're not hurt. We looked everywhere for you."

Raine looked upon her student and commented "Well, he certainly seems happy about being here. I guess he's happy to see us again."

Kratos, though deeply relieved in his mind, didn't show it on the outside. "Humph. I guess you're able to handle yourself after all, Lloyd. Not bad."

Lloyd smiled a broad smile, especially at Kratos comment. I suppose it always feel good to be acknowledged by your dad, even if he's a secret dad. It was good to be back.

He then turned to Botta and said "I can see that my friends here have put you through quite a run. Why don't you go ahead and leave? I have no reason to fight you now."

Botta growled angrily, hearing the insult that lie underneath his words. "Are you calling me a coward? I don't know how you escaped Yuan, but you most certainly will not escape me. AHHHH!" he yelled, charging at Lloyd with his sword set behind him. Lloyd just simply sighed and drew his blades. Botta swung down quickly, trying to get in a strong hit. Lloyd simply dodged it by moving to the side, letting the blade slice by him.

Botta quickly recovered and swung again, trying to cleave him in two with a horizontal slash. Lloyd brought one of his blades forward and met Botta's sword before it made contact with him. The metals clashed, one trying to overpower the other. Using this moment, Lloyd brought up his other blade and struck the hilt of the blade at Botta's hand, knocking it out of his hands and to the ground. "Looks like I win." Lloyd stated, putting his foot down on the sword to prevent him from picking it up, while using one of his own blades to hold Botta still.

Botta growled angrily. Yet again, this boy had defeated him easily, quickly unarming him and holding him at bay. He supposed that he might have stood a better chance if he were not so tired, and decided to blame his loss on that. He then jumped back out of Lloyd's reach and fled the room.

Lloyd sheathed his swords as the rest of the group converged on him. He turned to face them with a pleased smile on his face. "Before anyone says anything or asks any questions, I think we might want to leave beforehand. We've been here long enough."

Kratos nodded his head and said "Agreed. As long as we're here, we're still in danger. It would be best to leave."

Lloyd looked at the blade under his foot and remembered something. "Oh, yeah. Professor Sage, you might want to pick this up. It would probably prove useful to you." He said while reaching down to the red sword beneath him and tugging out the exsphere imbedded in it. He handed it to the professor, who immediately fawned over it.

"Oh Lloyd! It's marvelous! I simply must analyze this stone!" she said eagerly, staring at the stone in her hands with an almost wild expression in her eyes.

"We've stayed here long enough. Let's go. You can look at that exsphere later." Kratos said, and he walked towards the exit. The rest of the group followed suit, and they were eventually out of the base with no interference, possibly due to the massive amounts of guards they had taken out.

* * *

Author's notes: Oh thank God this is done! (Falls out of seat in exhaustion) It took me forever to do this! Alright, you know the drill folks. Read and review by clicking on that button in the left-hand corner! Go on!


	8. Chapter 8

Author's notes: Hello, and welcome back to another long awaited episode of Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! I apologize for the long wait on the update. My school had just launched into its standardized testing and I couldn't get any work done because I had to study. But now I have free time to work on this, so let's get started.

And now, Disclaimer!

Kratos: (Asleep from waiting so long) ZZZZZZZZZ….

Me: (Pokes him awake) Oy, we're back now. You need to do the disclaimer. Wake up!

Kratos: (Opens one eye blearily and quickly shuts it.) Raenef the 6th doesn't own anything. He's also rude to those who sleep. I'm going back to bed now. (Turns away from camera and snuggles against couch)

Me: …Oookayyy, I guess that's good enough. One more note, that disclaimer includes Naruto. Why, you ask? You'll see soon enough. On with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

Lloyd and the rest of the crew had finally returned to Triet after their little escapade in the Renegade base. They had returned to the inn to rest and were currently within one room discussing their future plans. It was late now after their trek, about dusk. The sun was setting on the horizon as they finally appeared into the small desert village, and was barely visible by the time they had gotten to their rooms. In short, their walk was a long one. 

Lloyd was tired, yawning the whole way back. Of course, no one could really blame him; as far as only he and Origin knew, he had fought against the leader of the Renegades and held his ground. In doing so, he gained his alliance in helping to change the future. All in all, a good day's work.

Genis was also tired, though his exhaustion was due more to stress from finding his friends rather than actually fighting. He sorely desired to simply go to sleep and talk in the morning. However, judging by the wild, yet carefully hidden look in his sister's eyes, he wouldn't be getting any sleep soon. The best thing he could hope for is a quick discussion, and then simply go to bed.

Colette was in her cheerful little state like always; she had her friends with her, they were all alive and well, and everything was good. Once she saw Lloyd appear from behind Botta in the base, her spirits had risen dramatically. Seeing him fight so well against such an opponent inspired her to become strong like that as well. She would need to if she wanted to complete the Journey of Regeneration.

Raine was, well, basically in mid-Ruin mode. After fighting Botta and he ran off, she had taken notice to his weapon and observed the strange crystalline orb installed within it. Upon further inspection and after questioning Lloyd to its purpose, she immediately desired to have it applied to her. With all the possibilities that could possibly come from such an addition to her powers, she could surely become stronger in her healing arts. Of course, when I say desired, I really mean that she was on her hands and knees begging Lloyd to help her fix it for her. And, in Lloyd-like fashion, Lloyd agreed to help her.

Kratos appeared to be calm and composed as he always was if someone were judging by the exterior. If one were to see the interior, they would probably see a chibi Kratos jumping for joy with a smile on his face. He was immensely relieved to see his son in good condition. Being within the base alone with no support did not sit well with Kratos. Especially since it was his son in there. Seeing him fight reminded him of whom he was supposed to be, so he quickly schooled his features and observed as Lloyd took on Botta and defeated him.

The only thing that was bothering him about the whole business was that once he got caught up in the moment of saving his son, he realized soon after he had forgotten something quite important to his alternate profile in Cruxis. He knew it had something to do with that base, but he simply couldn't place his finger on it. He decided to store it for later, and focused on the task at hand.

* * *

Lloyd was sitting on one of the beds inside his room, observing everyone else inside it. Kratos was leaning against the wall by the door with his eyes closed. Raine was in the middle of the floor, hovering closely over a few objects that Lloyd assumed she brought with her on the trip. Of course, I use the term "closely" lightly. She was so close; her nose was touching the objects as she passed by them. Genis and Colette stood to the side and were observing the Professor's little ritual of running back and forth between small objects on the floor. 

"So…now what?" Lloyd said; breaking the silence that clouded the room, save for Raine's occasional crazy giggle.

"I would assume we head to the Fire Seal next. We are on the Journey of Regeneration, after all." Kratos replied, keeping his eyes shut as if hoping to drown out the madness a few feet away from him.

Raine finally stopped scooting around and stood up. She still had that crazy look in her eye, making everyone wary of her actions. "That would be the best course of action. But first," Raine said, walking over to Lloyd, who was observing Raine with a wary eye, "Can you pleeeasssseeee fix this for me?" She held up the tiny stone as if it was a holy relic.

Lloyd sighed and smiled. "Of course I will Raine. We just need to find a key crest and I can fix it for you. But seeing as how we don't have one…" Lloyd trailed off, not wanting to stimulate an angry reaction out of his teacher. Instead, he was surprised to see her dig through her pockets and suddenly draw out a small object. "Like this?" She asked hopefully.

"Err…yeah, that's it! That's all I need, Raine." Lloyd said, taking the crest off of her hands. He was about to turn to a table to start his work when Kratos walked up to him and stopped him. "Wait." He said.

Lloyd looked back at Kratos with a questioning look. "If it's about the crest being damaged, I can easily fix that. I was raised by a dwarf, you know. I think I know what I'm doing. Or is it something else?"

Kratos looked stumped for a split-second; something rare for Kratos to look like, before he resumed his position as the group's badass. "No, not at all. It appears I underestimated your knowledge of craftsmanship, Lloyd. Forgive me." He stated calmly, though inside he was smacking himself silly for making such a mistake.

Lloyd observed his father and saw the reaction he tried to hide. He began to wonder if he being from the future and knowing what was going to happen was going to affect him in any way. "Uhh…you're forgiven?" Lloyd said meekly.

"Thank you, Lloyd. I'm in your debt. I know! I'll give you better lessons once we get back to school." Raine said excitedly, imagining herself being super-powerful while at the same time, thinking of new ways to teach Lloyd at school. The images unfortunately mixed, making it seem like she was teaching in a superhero costume. (How I came up with that, I'll never know.)

"Uhh, that's okay professor, you don't need to do that." Lloyd said nervously, dreading the very thought of resuming lessons from Raine. He quickly scooted back away and sat down at a nearby table to start. "This is gonna take a couple of hours, so I'll work on it now and give it to you tomorrow, okay?" Lloyd said without looking up from his work.

"Alright. Good night, Lloyd!" Raine said, walking out of the room with a little bounce in her step. She was getting an exsphere tomorrow! She has every right to be happy! Raine walked halfway to her room this way when she realized she was acting childish. She cleared her throat and regained her composure, resuming her trip while various inn-dwellers stared at her with a "wtf?" look.

Everyone else said there goodnights and went to their respective rooms, except for Kratos, who was rooming with Lloyd. Lloyd was a little bothered by this at first; rooming with your unknown father can do that to a guy. He quickly squashed those feelings and continued his work. Kratos simply put away his equipment and went to sleep to the sounds of tiny scratches against metal.

**2 hours later**

Lloyd lifted himself up from his work and wiped the small collected sweat off his brow. It had taken him a little longer than expected, but he had finished it. After reattaching the key crest to the exsphere, he held it up to the small candle light he was given to check for any final errors. Seeing none, he quietly got up and decided to check and see if the Professor was still up. If she was, then he would give it to her and be on his way. If not, he'd just leave it on a table or something.

Walking outside of his room and making certain he didn't disturb Kratos, he began walking to the Professor and Genis' room. As he walked, he took slight notice that Colette was still up, evident by the small crack of light exuding from under the doorway. He considered a moment if he should check on her, then decided to let her be and continued onward.

He knocked lightly upon the door and seeing it move to his touch, lightly swung it back to allow himself in. Sitting at the table was indeed the Professor herself, going over pieces of paper that as far as Lloyd could tell, were in another language. He cleared his throat to get her attention, which worked a little too well.

Apparently, the professor had assumed that Lloyd had gone to sleep, and believed that someone was trying to enter her room with unknown purposes. She quickly picked up an object near her, a leather-bound dictionary, and chucked it at the doorway. This, in turn, caused Lloyd to be knocked down after being hit in the face.

Groaning in pain, he sat up and rubbed his head where he was hit. _Note to self; never interrupt the professor when she's studying._ Lloyd thought to himself as he slowly stood up. He opened his eyes to see the professor rushing over to him. Unfortunately assuming that she was going to inflict more harm on his persona, Lloyd quickly sunk back down, held up his arms to defend his head and cried "Please don't hurt me! I promise to do my homework if you don't hurt me professor!"

After sitting there a few seconds and receiving no response, Lloyd looked up from his pathetic attempt at defending himself to see the professor just staring at him with a sorrowful look on her face. "I'm so sorry, Lloyd! I thought it was an intruder trying to hurt me or Genis!" She stated, extending her hand to Lloyd to help him up. "You aren't hurt are you?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine. You've hit me with worse than that." Lloyd said, rubbing his head where the book had impacted him. He stood up and shook his head to get his bearings straightened out.

"Uh…hehe…so, what did you come in here for?" Raine chuckled nervously, trying to draw attention away from the fact she just assaulted Lloyd for no reason.

"I came to give you the Exsphere. It's done now, so you can use it starting tomorrow if you'd like." Lloyd responded, holding up the Exsphere for her to see. Or, that is, he thought he did, when he noticed that the Exsphere that was supposed to be in his hand had mysteriously vanished. Lloyd looked around and upon not seeing it on the ground, was about to ask the Professor if she'd seen it, when he saw…**it.**

The dreaded look of excitement on his teacher's face. The eyes that showed a distinct greed in them as she looked down in the palm of her hands where the missing exsphere lay. The maniacal grin that lay upon her face.

Raine…had reached full Ruin-mode, and Lloyd did not have Genis to help stifle her excitement, leaving him to certain doom if he wasn't careful.

She gave a great breath of awe as she stared at the little catalyst in her hands. "Lloyd! I can't believe you did it in one night! I mean, you certainly didn't have to give it to me straight away, but I fully appreciate it anyway! Look at its glow! And the Shape! And the texture! And-"

(For safety reasons due to concerns with your brain possibly exploding from all the findings that Raine has with the Exsphere, the next thirty minutes of rambling has been omitted. And now, back to the showing.)

"PROFESSOR!" Lloyd shouted, finally breaking the quick wall of gibberish the Professor had been saying for the past good thirty minutes. He had sat there in shock as his teacher pointed out so many things noticeable on the Exsphere that Lloyd fortunately couldn't comprehend. He was certain that if he had been able to comprehend it, his brain was likely to have shut down from processing it.

"Hmm? What is it Lloyd? There is no need to shout you know." Raine responded, finally looking up from the Exsphere.

"I get it. It's a good object, and I'm certain it's fascinating, but if you don't mind, I think you should calm down before you wake up the other inmates and get us kicked out."

Raine's face heated up for a moment, and she hid it by quickly turning around and pretending to rummage with random objects, namely a few pens and papers. "You're right. My apologies." She said meekly.

Lloyd sighed and turned to look at where Genis lay. Somehow, the little half-elf had managed to completely ignore the event, snoring away to his heart's content. Lloyd couldn't help but be curious as to just how the hell he did that.

Raine caught on to Lloyd's gaze and said quietly "He told me what happened. Back in Iselia, I mean."

Lloyd stiffened a little, still sensitive about the topic of one of his biggest screw-ups of his life. "Did he? What did he say?" Lloyd muttered quietly, turning slightly to face Raine.

Raine's eyes closed and she recalled back what Genis had said when they met at the Fortune-teller's tent. "He said that the Desians had attacked the village because you two had helped one of the inmates at the Ranch escape punishment. He also said that even after helping to save the villagers, you were driven out and banished by the mayor."

Lloyd's eyes couldn't help but glisten as he started to remember that day. Try as he might, he couldn't will the tears back. Seeing so many people die, over something so pointless. Seeing it once, one would think that Lloyd would have at least had a few mental defenses for it. Seeing it twice, however, made the experience only worse, remembering all the bloodshed and violence. What made it far worse was the fact that it had been directly his fault, even though he had future knowledge of it occurring.

"He said that, did he? Did he say anything else?" Lloyd whispered, his gaze aimed at the floor in sadness.

Raine opened her eyes and gazed at Lloyd. She observed her student as he recalled the memory. In her mind, she pitied the boy, wishing that such an event should not have been entirely blamed on him, even if he was directly responsible for it in a way. It made her wish that the world wasn't so cruel, only to here a voice in her head say that if the world wasn't like that, then it wouldn't be real, only fantasy.

"Lloyd, do you feel that what you did at the ranch was wrong? Or do you feel justified by the fact that you had helped someone innocent?" Raine questioned him.

Lloyd wiped the teardrops from his eyes before they fell and turned to look back at Raine. Raine almost recoiled at the sight of his eyes. They gave one the impression of sorrow, anger, and confusion all in one. This only increased her feelings of pity.

"What I did at the ranch, morally speaking, was I feel correct. Even though I was supposed to obey the law of the ranch and let them be, I couldn't stand to the side and just simply let someone be hurt for no reason. True, the desians were the working authority of Iselia, but" Lloyd stopped, and his eyes suddenly seemed to flash a glance of strong determination and will.

"Should such a situation rise again, I wouldn't act any other way than how I did there. I won't allow an innocent to be harmed, whether it be at my expense or not, if I can prevent it." He finished, giving off an aura of strength.

Raine stood there, in awe of the maturity that her student had shown. Hearing Lloyd say those words in that manner, made her feel a slight inspiration, as if the very strength he was seemingly radiating was rubbing off on her. She realized the event had changed her student in many ways, showing that he had wisdom that some adults struggle to obtain to this day.

"I see. You should carry that belief with you, Lloyd. Never forget it so long as you live." Raine said in response to Lloyd's words. She looked back at Genis and said "Genis seemed to have changed too. He seems more mature now, as if he had grown a few years in one night. I thought that he would break down after paying witness to that, but instead, when he told me what happened, he stood there firmly, as if he was showing someone he was stronger than he appeared to be."

Lloyd smiled at the Professor's kind words to her little brother. Although she may not show it often, she does care deeply for her little brother. Of course, he probably wouldn't hear it.

Lloyd suddenly realized just how late it is, looking outside to see it being still pitch-black outside. "Professor, I'm gonna go to bed now. Good night." He walked out the door and waved good-bye before walking out and shutting the door.

"Good night, Lloyd." Raine said, and then turned back to the stone in her palm. "HAHAHAHA!" She cackled quietly to herself.

Lloyd continued walking to his room, but stopped upon seeing that Colette's light had turned off. Lloyd was glad she had gone to sleep; she was going to need it tomorrow. He continued walking and went inside of his room.

Upon entering the room, he noticed that Kratos wasn't present. _He must have gone outside like before. _Lloyd thought for a moment. He decided that this time, he would let Kratos have his privacy this time. He headed back to bed and lay down after putting away his regular clothes. He was soon sleeping soundly, in his own little world.

* * *

The next morning, Lloyd awoke to see that no one was in his room. He had overslept. Again. Quickly getting up, he put back on his equipment and proceeded outside to the hotel lobby, where everyone was gathered. Lloyd quickly ran up to them and greeted them. 

"Morning, everyone. Why didn't anyone wake me up?" Lloyd asked to everyone there.

"We tried to. You slept through everything, no matter what we tried." Kratos replied, paying the innkeeper for their stay.

"Yeah, Lloyd. We tried everything, even Raine slapping you. You just sat there and snored away." Genis said, shaking his head at Lloyd's actions. The group then proceeded outside the inn, and began the trek to the temple of fire.

A couple of hours later, the group finally reached the entrance to the temple, much to the group's relief. You see, Colette had been responsible for their water supply for the trip. Along the way, her eyes happened upon a snake alongside their path. To us, it would have looked like a dormant threat. To Colette, well, it looked like a defenseless snake that needed water. So, much to the group's chagrin, she gave at least half of their water to the snake. Fortunately, the snake didn't attack, since it was being cooled by the human.

"Colette, from now on, you aren't getting the water if you keep feeding it to the creatures of the land." Lloyd said with his throat dry from lack of water.

"But, it looked so helpless, and so thirsty! I couldn't stand to see it like that!" Colette argued, hoping to appeal to Lloyd's good nature.

"We know, Chosen One. But it is not always wise to give away what we need to survive." Kratos stated, looking at the temple's entrance, guarded by a large slab of stone.

"OH, MY GODDESS!" Raine cried out, making everyone jump away from her position in shock, even Kratos. She leaped forward and landed right in front of the doorway.

"This, this is incredible! This stone is made out of polycarbonate, the same material used in the Great Kharlan War! It was used to repel magic used by enemies!" Raine babbled on, rubbing her hand across the surface. She immediately noticed the pedestal next to the stone slab, and repeated her actions as before.

"Genis, is your sister often like this?" Kratos asked, casting a wary eye towards Genis, who was sweating and flushed from embarrassment at his sister's actions.

"Unfortunately, yes. And I hoped it would have stayed hidden too…" Genis replied, sweat-dropping as Raine instructed Colette to place her hand upon the pedestal.

"You mean like this, Professor?" Colette asked, as she placed her hand upon the pedestal where her family's symbol was engraved. After a few seconds of waiting, the stone doors moved aside, revealing the entrance to the temple.

"Quickly, we must proceed onward! Let the excavation commence!" Raine exclaimed, rushing into the temple. She was followed shortly after by everyone, save for Lloyd who was still standing where he was after observing Raine's actions. Even after all this time, it was still a little disturbing to watch. He shook it off and began inside when he stopped, sensing a presence behind him.

He swiftly turned around and was greeted by the sight of nothing but sand and mountain rocks. Lloyd scanned the area quickly, and upon seeing nothing, proceeded inside, shaking it off as nothing but paranoia.

* * *

A lone figure stood upon a mountain rock's surface, observing the group from a distance in the shadow. Upon closer observation, one can make out some details of the figure. He stood at a tall height of 5'10. He had a black cloak on, hiding his torso from view. He had shadow-black hair upon his head. It appeared slicked back, save for two strands that curved around the head and ended at the forehead. 

On his face, One could see two red lines that drew themselves down his cheek from his eyes. This however, would not have drawn most people's attention, which would have been focused on his eyes. His pupil's were slit, and his irises with a base color of gold-yellow, tinted with red, giving him a feral look. The most fearful feature however, was what lied within the eyes. They seemed to bore into one's soul, and one could seem to get lost in the eternal darkness that consumed his eyes, giving off a cold aura from him that radiated power.

On his back, was strapped a blade, hidden within a sheath with the hilt wrapped in cloth. Observing the group, the figure took notice of Lloyd, which was then shortly followed by a pulsation from his sword, as if acknowledging it knew Lloyd was there. The figure turned his head towards his blade and spoke quietly, "Easy, Tsukuyomi. There is no need to become excited. We will wait for the opportune chance, and then we shall fight the one who rivals our power. For now, we wait."

He sees Lloyd turn to face his direction, and moved back into the shadows. He waits a few moments, and then peeked his head out to observe Lloyd go back in.

* * *

Who is this mysterious figure that seeks Lloyd's death? How does he know Lloyd? Keep reading to find out! But first, Omake! 

**Omake start**

Walking outside of his room and making certain he didn't disturb Kratos, Lloyd began walking to the Professor and Genis' room. As he walked, he took slight notice that Colette was still up, evident by the small crack of light exuding from under the doorway. He considered a moment if he should check on her, then decided to let her be and continued onward.

Inside, Colette heard Lloyd passed, and hissed in anger as Lloyd walked onward. "Curses, my plan's been foiled! I will have you Lloyd, one way or another! I will make you mine! MUHAHAHAHA!"

Colette's clumsiness then kicked in, sending her off the bed's edge and to the floor, knocking off the candle from the bed and putting its flame out.

Lloyd suddenly sneezed before putting his hand on the door. He rubbed his nose and said to himself, "Someone must be talking about me again."

**Omake 2 start**

Walking outside of his room and making certain he didn't disturb Kratos, Lloyd began walking to the Professor and Genis' room. As he walked, he took slight notice that Colette was still up, evident by the small crack of light exuding from under the doorway. He considered a moment if he should check on her, then decided to let her be and continued onward.

Or at least, he would have, had Colette's door not suddenly opened and a hand shot out and grabbed Lloyd. He gave a small "Eep!" as he was suddenly drawn back into Colette's room. A few seconds later, Lloyd's scream was heard, though it sounded muffled, which unfortunately didn't alert anyone to his peril. It also could be considered odd that no one heard the strange noises emenating from the room shortly after. What happened in there, we may never know.

(Author grins maliciously) Oh, I'm so evil sometimes. Read and review!


	9. Chapter 9

Author's notes: Welcome back to Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! This chapter, the group explores the Fire Seal, and confronts the first seal. I also end up completely screwing up the story. I hope you all enjoy it!

And now disclaimer!

Kratos: Raenef the 6th doesn't own anything involving Tales of Symphonia, except his own stories.

Me: Right, now on with the show.

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

One detail about Lloyd we all know is his lack of a proper attention span. We've all seen how he can be excited about one thing, and then suddenly become bored with it. However, this detail about Lloyd is one that is currently proving to be a big annoyance right now.

The group had entered the Fire Seal, to find the first seal and break it. Of course, due to Lloyd's low attention span, he forgot the fact that they were in the Fire Seal, key word being **Fire** here, and he was currently paying dearly for it. Lloyd's clothes weren't exactly designed for keeping cool, you see. They kept the heat inside one's body, which usually didn't bother Lloyd.

However, Lloyd was in a place that was hot enough for lava to exist, meaning he was literally almost burning right now. And his only thought was this: _Why did we let Colette have the water? Why?_

"This temple is huge!" Raine exclaimed with stars in her eyes. This sort of place was an archaeologist's dream land. There were aged walls around the place, with some having inscriptions placed on their face, which she couldn't wait to translate. She also saw that occasionally there were artifacts to look at, making her silently squeal to herself in excitement each time she saw one.

Genis sighed, seeing his sister act so…childish. "Geez, sis. It's only the first Seal; don't get so excited, you'll overheat." Like Lloyd, the midget mage was hot too, even though he was in a simple shirt and shorts. He wasn't as hot as Lloyd was, but he felt like it was. He just wanted to get this done with and then get out of there where it was slightly cooler outside.

"Come on, Genis. It's not so bad in here. I think it's kinda neat in here." Colette said, walking and smiling as she went along. No one could really understand how she could be able to enjoy being in here, considering how hot it was. Perhaps her ditzy nature was allowing her to ignore the heat. It always seemed to work for her. Like when she went through that wall at Triet or the wall at the school…everyone suddenly just scooted a little bit away from Colette, just to make sure they were out of her tripping range.

Kratos simply 'Hmph'd at how everyone was acting. The fools were showing their emotions too easily; someone could have easily used that to their advantage should they have desired to, during Kratos' time in the war 4000 years ago. Kratos' attitude suddenly became slightly more depressed at that thought. The war lasted so long, and there was so much killing…he quickly shredded those thoughts and focused on the path ahead of him. There was no reason to reflect right now; it wasn't safe with the possible threat of monsters nearby, ready to attack.

Upon entering the Fire Seal, the group came to a crossroads where they could choose to go forward, left, or right. After a rigorous argument (coughrockpaperscissorscough), the group chose to go forward. Upon entering, they took notice of the various platforms scattered among the area, as well as the few indentations among them that served a purpose yet to be discovered. The platform in the middle, it was discovered, held the warp point to the seal.

"These holes must have stood for some purpose at one point. But what?" Raine said as she focused on one particular indentation. Lloyd took a step closer and recognized that these were the marks for the torches to be lit. Once lit, they would raise the platform to the point where they could reach the warp pad to the Seal.

"Uh, professor? They look like they used to be lit. Perhaps they were torches at one point and used to react with Efreet's power to move the platforms to reach the seal?" Lloyd suggested quietly to her, so as to not let the others hear it. Why, you ask? Because Lloyd realized that if they all heard him say something so intelligent, their heads might explode from the shock. Case in point, Raine, who was now staring at Lloyd mouth agape.

"Um, professor? Are you okay?" Lloyd asked, concerned for his teacher's health. Raine simply remained there for a moment before speaking.

"Lloyd…that was the most intelligent thing I've ever heard you say. I'm so proud!" Raine said mock dramatically, tears of happiness and all. She knew no person could be as stupid as Lloyd was, and this proved it. _There's hope yet!_ Raine thought.

Lloyd simply sat there, eye twitching at her response. _Ow…my pride…_

"We must test your theory, Lloyd! Quickly, aim the Sorcerer's Ring at the indentation!" Raine exclaimed, moving out of the way. Lloyd aimed the Sorcerer's Ring at the hole and lit it. A split second later, the platform rose to a larger height than before, partially connecting it to the warp pad above them.

"Yes, that's it! We must light all the torches, so as to form a path to the warp pad! Excellent plan, Lloyd!" Raine said, giving Lloyd a congratulatory pat on the head. She proceeded to walk forward when she stopped and suddenly drew her staff. "Hold that thought, everyone! We've got company!" And true to Raine's words, 2 floating Fire elements appeared, as well as two fire warriors armed with blades crafted in the form of fire.

Lloyd quickly drew his blades as did Kratos, pulling his sword and shield out and taking his stance. Raine and Genis moved to the back so as to prep spells to help the group. Colette drew her chakrams and rushed forward first, only to trip after the first step, causing everyone to sweat drop.

"I'm okay!" Colette chirped as she quickly stood up and threw one of her chakrams at a fire element, grinding the metal against it and pushing it back. This was the signal for the battle to start as Lloyd and Kratos charged forward as well as the two Fire warriors.

Lloyd started off with a simple demon fang, aimed at the leg of the Fire warrior to his left, so as to cripple it for an easy kill. However, the creature simply dodged it by leaping to the side and slashing forward at Lloyd, who parried with his own blade. Kratos' foe was holding his own as well, keeping Kratos at a distance by firing flame projectiles at him, causing him to stay back.

Colette was helping to hold back the fire elements from getting too close to Genis and Raine, who were trying to cast spells to back up the group. Genis kept casting Aqua edge, appealing to the element's weakness for it. However, due to the element's levitation, it made it difficult to land a solid hit instead of a glancing blow. Raine monitored the group's status, making sure to keep an eye on each in case of the need of healing.

A few minutes passed, and Lloyd was making progress. He knew his opponent was tiring due to its slowing movements. He decided now was the time to go for the kill. Easily parrying another slow strike, he suddenly dashed forward, with a cry of "Hurricane Thrust!" The blade pierced through the creature's armor skin, which was soon followed by a small boom from the sudden wind pressure exerted on its body. It soon crumpled, having its insides blown to pieces from the intense pressure.

Lloyd withdrew his blade and flicked the blood off of it. He turned to observe the others when he noticed something awful was about to happen. Genis had gotten too close to the edge of the platform their on, leaving him cornered by a fire element and with his back facing the lava. He rushed forward to aid him while yelling "Genis watch out!"

Kratos also quickly dispensed of his enemy, using a combination of a demon fang and light spear to incapacitate his foe. The demon fang crippled the Fire Warrior a moment, and was unable to defend himself when Kratos rushed forward and exclaimed "Light Spear!" The Seraph then spun in the air, taking the warrior with him and thrusting him to the ground once he stopped spinning.

Combined with its previous trauma, it came as no surprise for the monster to go limp once it hit the ground. He sheathed his sword and started to walk away when he heard Lloyd cry out. He swiftly turned to see what was happening.

Colette was having a little trouble fighting her opponent, due to her chakrams not being able to do more than possibly annoy the creature in front of her with tiny nicks in its rocky form. She realized that with her current attacks, she could do little to harm it. If only there was a way to get around its shell…_that's it!_ Colette was struck with an idea, and quickly leapt back to put a little distance between her and the Fire element.

"Ready?" She exclaimed, pulling her hand back and focusing on a certain tool used to crush things. Feeling the energy materialize, she suddenly launched it forward, crying out "Pow Hammer!" A big hammer suddenly appeared above the monster, and swung down directly on the top of the creature and landed with a loud..."SQUEAK!" It had the desired effect, causing cracks to form throughout the body before finally crumbling to dust.

Colette was about to exclaim in joy when she heard Lloyd shout. She turned to look at Genis when she saw it too. She then yelled "No, Genis!"

Genis was having the most trouble with his battle, having to keep stepping back to keep out of the Fire element's range. Realizing he might be stepping too far, feeling the heat on his back become more concentrated, he decided to make a stand right here. Focusing a lot of mana into this attack, he once again focused on water, but noticed it felt much different this time. Usually this technique felt like little chips of energy, but this time, it felt like a sudden rush at once. He heard the words come to mind and spoke them.

"Spread!" he exclaimed, thrusting his kendama forward at his opponent.

At once, water suddenly began to materialize in a circle surrounding the monster. A few moments later, the water suddenly launched upward and surrounded the creature, launching it upwards while extinguishing its powers due to its weakness of water. Now powerless, it was only held up by the jet of water, and soon came crashing down once the spell ended.

Genis grinned, satisfied with his work. He put up his kendama and began to walk off when he heard Lloyd and Colette's shout. He quickly turned around to see the element slam into the ground next to him, surprising him and launching him in the direction of the edge of the platform, where the lava awaited him. Unable to catch himself, Genis could only watch in fear as the lava below rushed towards him.

Lloyd, seeing his best friend of several years in life-threatening danger, tried to hurry to him, but before he could get to him, a shadowed figure blurred by him and towards Genis. _What the heck? Who's that?_ Lloyd thought to himself as he watched the figure almost seemingly fly to Genis.

Genis closed his eyes and was about to give a final prayer when he felt a hand grab the front of his shirt and throw him back towards safety on the platform. He rolled for a bit before stopping on his back. Raising himself up slowly, waiting for the shock to wear off, Genis looked to see who had caught him, thinking it was Lloyd. What he saw surprised him.

Lloyd ran up to where Genis was and got a better look at the mysterious person who had saved Genis. _It couldn't be, no way!_ Lloyd thought to himself in shock.

(A/N: Prepare for maximum screw-up-age. Brace yourselves, and please don't hate me.)

The figure rose from its kneeling position after landing, and had its back turned to the party. They were dressed in a purple robe, tied around by a long pink bow. The figure stood at 5'5, a little shorter than Lloyd, with raven colored hair tied up in a ponytail with the ends shooting in all directions. "You should be more careful in a place like this. It's easy to get hurt, especially for kids." She spoke with a serious voice, turning around to face the group. Yep, ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Sheena! (Didn't see that coming did you?)

_What is Sheena doing here? We're not supposed to meet her till the Ossa Trail! And we're supposed to be enemies, too! _Lloyd thought quickly, his mind unable to explain why or how this happened.

Lloyd, calm yourself. Remember what Yuan said back at the base? Origin swiftly reminded Lloyd. Lloyd immediately relaxed, recalling his conversation with the leader of the Renegades.

_That's right; he said that she would help us. But that still doesn't explain why she came here to us, or how she found us for that matter._

"Who are you, and how did you find us?" Lloyd asked, deciding to play dumb for the time being.

"My apologies. My name is Sheena Fujibayashi. I was sent by my home to assist the Chosen with her Journey. As for finding you, my home village had a record of the previous Chosen and their journeys, so we knew where each seal was supposed to be. I assumed you would be at the first right now, so I came here." Sheena explained.

Raine stepped forward after checking on her brother. "Tell me, what village is this? I've never heard of such a place before."

Sheena turned to Raine and replied "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. My village is supposed to be kept secret, even its name and location for fear of exposing our secrets. I know it's strange to hear, but I'm telling you the truth." Inwardly, Sheena hoped they bought her explanation, so as to prevent suspicion. She was supposed to meet this Lloyd person, as instructed by Yuan.

Raine nodded, accepting the answer. "I understand. My name is Raine Sage. Thank you for saving my brother just then."

Sheena smiled. "It was no problem at all. Just make sure to be careful."

Lloyd decided to step forward and introduce everyone else for them. "Thanks for your help. My name's Lloyd. This is Colette, Genis and Kratos. We appreciate your coming here." He said, pointing to each person as he said their name, and they each nodded at their mentioning.

Sheena's eyes followed his pointing, and then returned to him at the end. _Hmm, so this is Lloyd. He's polite…and kinda cute too. Wait where'd that come from? Focus! _"It's nice to meet you all. Shall we be on our way?" Sheena said, reminding everyone of their goal here. Focus regained, they proceeded to clear the rest of the temple, lighting the torches as they went.

* * *

"Finally, we reached it. It took forever." Lloyd stated, glad to have finally reach the warp. He had found some new swords in the temple that were better than his current one's so he switched them out.

"It only took forever to you because you got bored. It really only took 15 minutes to get here." Genis said, walking up behind him and ignoring his protest to being bored. Genis had been cautious after the first fight earlier, and made sure to stay far away from the edge.

"Indeed. You should try to fix that, Lloyd. It is not a good mark of a warrior if he has no attention span to focus." Kratos said, slightly scolding the boy. He said it with the full belief it would provoke him and anger him, so as to educate him a little, albeit through a little humiliation.

"Hmm? You say something, Kratos?" Lloyd replied, channeling the spirit of a certain one-eyed scarecrow ninja in another universe.

Kratos' eye twitched and he swat a hand to his forehead in frustration. He couldn't believe that this was supposed to be his son. He knew he shouldn't have let him play on top of those rocks when he was little, he knew it!

The rest of the group finally appeared and decided not to take notice of Kratos and his frustration with Lloyd. They quickly went through the warp, ad were soon at the final level of the temple. Upon filing out of the pad, they walked forward. Well, most of the group did. Raine was busy leaping back and forth everywhere since she was surrounded by precious ruins. Genis quickly stopped her by tripping her, whistling innocently the whole time.

_Hmm, must have tripped. I should be more coordinated than that. I am an adult after all_. Raine thought to herself, dusting off a little dust and forgetting about her observations for now.

Genis smirked at his sister's antics, when he felt a large source of mana begin to well up in front of them. He looked ahead towards the platform, where Colette was supposed to do the ritual of the Chosen. Red sparks of mana were floating up above it, which he assumed was the source of the mana. "Guys, I feel mana building up. It's coming from that platform." Genis pointed towards the platform, where fire was beginning to swirl.

A moment later, it exploded upwards and shot towards the roof of the room. The group stepped back cautiously, making sure to stay a good distance away from the intense heat. When it finally died down, atop the platform sat three creatures. Two of the creatures were small, about the size of Lloyd. They were floating, due apparently to the fact their legs weren't strong enough to support their long bodies yet. They had canines that went down past their mouth a little past their chin. Their fur was red with the occasional brownish-black laid across their back, with some yellow mixed in as well.

The middle creature, however, dwarfed the other two in size. It was standing on all four of its legs, with claws extended on its toes. Its fur was like fire, with the colors of brown and yellow, with a little black that danced across its skin. Atop its back, spikes were extended and shot in all directions, starting from its head to its lower back. Its fangs extended well past its chin, and appeared very sharp in the light of the flames around it.

"Okay, we've got two ktugachlings and a Ktugach (Spelling?) to deal with." Lloyd said quietly, drawing his new swords out. Raine shot a look at Lloyd.

"How do you know what these creatures are?"

"Simple, I looked up the possible creatures that are common to see in this area, as well as the guardians of the Seals. I just now remembered what they are." Lloyd replied. He looked at Genis. "Genis, no fire spells. Stick to water, since it's their weakness." Genis nodded his head.

They had no more room to speak, as the Ktugach suddenly leapt forward, claws extended. The group quickly leapt apart, Lloyd, Sheena, and Genis to one side, Colette, Kratos and Raine to the other. The Ktugachlings got in the fight as well, each going to one side. And thus, the fight began!

Lloyd quickly began to think of a plan to handle this situation. It was simple enough it seemed. First eliminate the two minor monsters, so we can converge on the big one. Simple enough. The only problem was that every time he went to make a strike against the ktugachling, the Ktugach would immediately defend it, driving him back with a swipe which he was forced to dodge. Sheena and Genis tried to help, but Sheena kept running into the same problem as Lloyd, and Genis kept getting interrupted every time he tried to cast a spell.

Kratos and Colette's situation was a little better, but only so much. Colette was able to keep using her long-range attacks to hold the Ktugachling at bay while Kratos attempted to strike it. The key word being attempt. During one slash, the ktugachling had managed to wrap itself around his sword and attempted to bite his hand and disarm him. He quickly brought his shield up and shoved the monster off. Raine made sure to stay in the back and heal Kratos and Colette when they got tired or hurt.

After another failed attempt at striking the creature before him, Lloyd racked his head for a plan. He needed to distract the Ktugach long enough to take down the Ktugachling. He looked toward his teammates and formed an idea. "Genis, I want you to launch the strongest water spell at the Ktugach and distract it long enough for me and Sheena to move in. Once you cast the spell, get out of the way." Genis nodded his head and searched his mind to remember how he did that one spell earlier. Remembering the rushing feeling, he quickly thrust his kendama forward and cried "Spread!"

The water formed under the head of the Ktugach and shot up; catching it off guard and driving it back some. This gave Lloyd and Sheena the opportunity they needed. Sheena charged first, stunning the mini-monster with a pyre Seal. Lloyd quickly followed up and ran his blade through with a sonic thrust to the chest. The Ktugachling gave a final cry before falling to the ground dead. Lloyd and co. then charged forward to assist the other group.

Kratos and his group weren't faring too well now. The ktugachling had managed to scratch across Kratos' Shield arm, causing him to fall back while Colette took it on alone. Raine tried to heal it with First Aid, but only managed to heal so much of the wound. His arm would function just fine, but he would have a small scar for awhile. They were starting to get worried when they saw the Ktugach fall back after being hit with a huge stream of water.

The ktugachling saw this and cried out of worry for its mother. (My story, work with me here.) This gave Kratos the chance to end it. Drawing his sword forward, he slashed upward and lifted the monster up with a Light Spear, then stabbed it on the downward swipe. The ktugachling seemed to waver a moment before getting knocked down by Colette's chakram, putting it out of commission.

The group rejoined up, and readied themselves for the final confrontation here with the Ktugach. The Ktugach rose quickly, and roared in rage at seeing its children dead. Enraged, it swiped its tail at them, sending them flying back. Once it stopped spinning, it seemed to take a kneeling position as runes started to surround it.

"Oh no! It's gonna cast a spell!" Lloyd exclaimed, recognizing the runes to be the same as the ones for the spell Eruption. "Everyone, scatter now!" As soon as he said this, everyone but Lloyd dashed off in a random direction just as the spell was completed. The Ktugach roared, and lava rose up around Lloyd.

"Guardian!" Lloyd exclaimed, activating one of the only defensive techniques he knew. A green-barrier surrounded Lloyd, preventing him from most of the damage. A little of the lava managed to reach Lloyd, and he could feel the intense heat as it seared against and around him. He gritted his teeth and waited for the spell to subside.

The spell quickly wore down, and the lava vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving Lloyd on the ground, panting slightly on one knee. _That was close. One more second later, and I could have been seriously hurt!_ Lloyd thought quickly.

The rest of the group quickly converged around him, protecting him from the wrath of the creature before him. Raine checked him for injuries, and finding some small burn areas, immediately healed them. Relieved of his injuries, Lloyd quickly stood up and thought of a way to take down the Ktugach. It was quite big, making a frontal assault too risky. He knew of one way, but he'd need the others help.

"Guys, I have an idea, but I'll need your help. If this works, we can take him down with one shot. But we're gonna need to work together." Lloyd said as he scrutinized the Ktugach. It appeared that after using the spell, it would have to rest before assaulting again, leaving open a window of opportunity.

"What is your plan, Lloyd?" Kratos asked, eager to be rid of this foul being before him. It had annoyed him long enough; if not for the presence of the others around him, he would have released his wings and decimated the monster with Judgment.

"We're going to need to attack him together at once. A combined strike should be enough to bring it down. Kratos and I can go first, with each of us using a Sonic Thrust. Then Genis, you can follow up with Spread to add some damage. Then, once Colette and Sheena get through with it, Kratos and I can come back for a final strike. Sound good to you guys?" Lloyd explained, walking in front of the group.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. Let's do it." Genis said with his kendama at the ready. Everyone else followed suit, each taking a different stance with their weapons. The Ktugach was still waiting to recover, leaving the situation with a moment of silence. Then, that silence was broken by Lloyd.

"FOLLOW UP!" Lloyd exclaimed, and charged forward with Kratos right behind. They charged forward first, pulling their blades forward for the assault.

"SONIC THRUST!" They yelled, each ramming a sword through the creature's upper chest area. The beast roared in pain, and they quickly withdrew and let Genis have his turn.

"SPREAD!" Genis yelled, using his kendama to channel the attack. The water gushed forth, blasting the Ktugach back further. The water stung against its flesh, especially where the two swordsmen had already pierced it through.

Sheena and Colette then leapt forward, Colette hitting it with another Pow Hammer atop the head, and Sheena stunning it with a Pyre seal. Then Kratos and Lloyd dashed apart to opposite sides of the Ktugach, and prepared to attack. Their blades seemed to glow as they charged with incredible speed, the ground leaving trails of dust in their wake.

"READY?" Kratos exclaimed, pulling his sword back. Lloyd did likewise. At the same time, they shouted "CROSS THRUST!" Their combined assault connected, driving their swords across its head, leaving a deep twin gashes seemingly sketched on its head. Combined with all the previous damage, it came as no surprise to see the behemoth finally collapse with a final anguished roar.

Kratos flicked the blood of his sword and said quietly "Blame your fate, not your killer, for your death, fool." He sheathed his sword and walked back to where the group stood waiting.

Lloyd also flicked blood off his swords and sheathed them before saying "Don't mess with the best, or you'll fall like all the rest." He then joined the group as well, ready to break the seal and leave this place. All this fighting left him very hot, and of course, very hungry.

* * *

Author's notes: Well, I hope that was satisfactory enough for you all. I know it took me awhile, but I got distracted. Don't worry; I'm putting off my other fics until I do plenty of work on this one. Read and review! 


	10. Chapter 10

Raenef the 6th: Chapter ten, Yay! This one will hopefully be a funny one. And I'm finally back in business due to my slave-driving, beta reader.

Music in the Dark: Damn straight! (Cracks a whip on my back)

Raenef the 6th: Oww, dammit! That hurt!

Music: On with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

We find our heroes back at the inn, where everyone is in their respective rooms, resting after leaving the Fire Temple. Once Colette had gotten sick after obtaining her powers, the group quickly rushed her to the inn to rest, not risking the chance of her getting worse by resting in the desert.

Lloyd was slightly ticked right now, after seeing one of the few people he truly despised in the world. The betrayer angel, Remiel.

_(Flashback)_

_The group stood in resolute silence as they observed the tiny orb of light that was supposed to be their heavenly guide descend from the ceiling to the platform. With a bright flash of light, Remiel once again stood before them, in his arrogant glory. _(What? I always thought he was arrogant.)

"_Well Done, Chosen One Colette. You have defeated the guardian monster that invaded this seal, and have released the imprisoned Summon Spirit." Remiel said as he floated._

_Colette made a tiny bow and replied "Thank you, Father."_

_Lloyd stood there in silence, keeping his emotions in check and being careful to resist the urge to completely decapitate and castrate the bastard in front of him. _(Author shields groin as all other male populace does as they read.)_ He kept his hands at his sides, waiting out the boring monologue that he already knew._

_When Colette came back down from the transformation, she revealed her new wings, shimmering and glowing brightly in the darkness. Genis was ecstatic to see them, and asked Colette to flap them a few times. As she did so, Lloyd, Raine and Kratos discussed the next possible seal according to Remiel's clue._

"_To the south…I would assume that to be across the sea." Kratos said over Genis' exclamations._

"_That sounds about right to me. That'd mean we're gonna need to get a ship to cross it." Lloyd said, shifting his eyes to where Sheena stood to the side shyly. She had been quiet during the whole ordeal, and seemed nervous right now, though she did well to hide it. Lloyd however could read her like an open book._

'_She's nervous alright. I guess she's still worried about us trusting her, as well as my whole story. I'll need to talk to her later.'_

_Raine gulped at the thought of the sea. "S-surely there's another way? Wouldn't all boats be busy due to the current state of the world?"_

_Lloyd shook his head, knowing the problem. "Don't worry about it professor. There's bound to be one, so I wouldn't worry about it. I guess if we're ready, let's get going." Lloyd turned to Colette and Genis and yelled "Okay guys! That's enough! We're going now!"_

_Colette put away her wings, to Genis' slight disappointment, and they proceeded outside. As they moved along, Lloyd kept an eye on Colette to be ready for when she fell…only she didn't even show a sign of weakness till they reached the inn, to Lloyd's confusion. She should've fallen all the way back at the temple, where they would've made camp. But instead, it happened here. What caused this?_

_(End Flashback)_

Lloyd put aside the matter for now and sat up in his bed. Not feeling the least bit tired, he decided to have that talk with Sheena. He couldn't put it off for later, because that would only cause problems for him and the group later on. Besides, he could understand partially what she was going through. When he just started to go to school in Iselia, he was nervous too. Thankfully, he had Colette and Genis to help out.

'But unlike them, her friends are back in Tethe'alla, where here, she's only got Corrine…and me.' He thought as he proceeded to her room.

Walking up to the door, he grabbed the doorknob when he stopped himself. He almost walked into Sheena's room without knocking. That could've gone wrong in many ways. Some might've been okay… 'No! Shut up! Shut up!' Lloyd shook his head furiously to clear the thoughts, and knocked on the door. "Sheena? It's me, Lloyd. Can I come in?"

"Just a second!" Sheena replied through the door. Lloyd heard footsteps as she approached. Opening the door slightly she stuck her head out the door. "What is it?" She asked quietly.

"I just wanted to talk to you was all. Is that okay?" Lloyd responded.

"No, it's fine. Come in." Sheena said as she opened the door to let him in. He walked inside and she closed the door behind her once he was in. "So, what's up?" She asked as she walked over to her bed and sat down.

Lloyd walked over to the provided chair within the rooms and answered "That's what I wanted to ask you. You seemed nervous back at the temple. Do you want to talk about it? If not, that's fine. But if you want to talk to someone, I'm willing to listen." Lloyd explained.

Sheena sighed and seemed to be relieved. "To be honest, I'd actually like that." She lay down against the headrest of the bed and looked at Lloyd.

"Really, I'm just stressed out with all that's happening. One minute, I'm being ordered by my country and that Yuan guy to kill the Chosen of Mana of Sylvarant. The next, I'm being told to now protect her, because someone who claims to be from the future says that it's a bad idea. I'm actually kinda skeptical about that little tidbit right there." Sheena explained, looking Lloyd in the eye.

Lloyd nodded his head and said "That's perfectly understandable. I'm sure if I heard it form someone else, that'd I'd react the same way if I was in your shoes. But let me ask you this." Lloyd closed his eyes. "Do you believe me about me being from the future, or do you not?"

Sheena was silent for a minute as she thought. "I…don't know. The part of me that's logic says that I shouldn't, yet the other part of me says that I should. There's something about you that sends off that sort of message that you are, in fact, from the future."

Lloyd opened his eyes in relief, glad that she wasn't totally against him. "It's alright. Sometimes that happens to me too. I'll be torn between doing what is logical, and what I think is right, and I'll get stuck. But I know of a way to prove to you that I am in fact from the future."

Sheena looked at him curiously. "What's that?"

Lloyd chuckled. "It's simple. You're a summoner, who currently can summon a man-made summon spirit named Corrine. You've also attempted to gain control of Volt once before, but failed and lost control, sending your chief into a coma…and you into sadness. You now cover up that sadness by becoming an assassin, so as to forget that attempt, even though you shouldn't place yourself in blame like that." Lloyd finished, and looking up, his breath hitched.

Sheena was glaring daggers at him, with tears in her eyes, and sniffling. "How can you talk with such simplicity?! What do you know?! I deserve to be punished! I killed innocents; I sent my chief _and_ someone who I consider to be a grandfather into a coma! Yet the only reason I wasn't was because the Vice-chief took pity on me. I'm pathetic!" With this, she broke down and started to weep.

Lloyd immediately went to her side, pulling her into an embrace that shocked Sheena. "Shh, just let it out, Sheena. It's alright, I'm here." He whispered condolingly. After hearing that, Sheena cried into his shoulder and they remained like that for 10 minutes as Sheena cried, with Lloyd calming her as she did so.

Finally she stopped, and pulled back. Wiping her eyes, she cleared her eyes of the tears that remained as Lloyd whispered "There. Do you feel better now?" She nodded and sniffled again.

"Thank you. Sorry about that, I usually don't lose control like that." Sheena apologized, blowing her nose out with a tissue she pulled off the bedside table.

"It's fine. Before you can even consider me a good person though, know I've made my fair share of mistakes." Lloyd responded. Observing Sheena's questioning look, Lloyd continued. "Because of my mistakes, I nearly caused the destruction of my own home village, and many people lost their lives. I still remember it to this day, and I always will. But Sheena, there's something you need to know."

Sheena merely looked at Lloyd and said "What is it?"

Lloyd suddenly smiled a wizened smile. "It's that you shouldn't completely despise yourself for what happened. What happened with Volt was out of your control. You weren't ready for it yet, and that's all there is to it. You shouldn't remain depressed over it, nor should you consider yourself pathetic because of it, but rather, use it as a lesson to yourself. To know that there will always be things that will come your way that you won't be ready for, but you shouldn't run from them. Rather, face them head on, so that even if you're afraid, you can stand with the knowledge that you faced that fear. You are stronger now than you were then, and I don't doubt that you can take that challenge now."

Sheena soon smiled as well, feeling inspiration from Lloyd's words. "Thank you, Lloyd. That's good advice to hear. I think I'm going to go to bed now."

Lloyd stood up from the bed and nodded. "Alright then. You take it easy for now, okay? Good night." Lloyd walked to the door and opened it. Before he walked out, he turned to Sheena one last time. "One more thing, Sheena."

"Hmm? What is it?" Sheena asked.

"Don't worry about us trusting you. You've saved Genis, and helped us to break the first seal. You've certainly got my friendship, and I'm certain the others consider you a friend as well. So don't worry about it. Good night." Lloyd shut the door and walked back to his room.

Sheena stared at the door after he walked off, and smiled to herself. "That's one good guy right there." She turned off the light and crawled into bed, her thoughts concerning the red-clad swordsman.

* * *

Lloyd walked onto his room and was about to turn in when he witnessed Kratos walking outside. "Ah, that's right. Tonight is when he's supposed to go all broody and stare at Noishe. Last time, he got the jump on me, but this time, I'll get the jump on him, and I know of a certain vegetable that can help." Lloyd grinned evilly as he soon followed Kratos outside, holding a certain something behind his back.

He found Kratos where he expected him to be, by the corral where Noishe slept. Sneaking up slowly, he waited till he was a few feet away, and then made certain to make a noise to get his attention. Stomping down hard, the noise echoed across the desolate night as Kratos suddenly jumped and drew his blade.

Lloyd countered by bringing out the one thing he knew his father could not defeat, not even if he had the Eternal Sword to wield: a tomato. Kratos' swing continued until his vision caught sight of Lloyd's snickering face. Looking down, he saw the accursed object before him. It took a moment to register what it was.

'Hmm, a tomato…wait…a tomato?...Oh, boy…' Kratos suddenly stopped his swing and leapt back a good few feet. His keen eyes trained upon the evil object in his son's hand. How did he not see that coming? That foul, gross thing was one of his only weaknesses, and he made damn sure well to hide it.

"P-put that away. Now!" Kratos ordered, pointing the sword to a clearing away from them. Lloyd casually tossed it away, personally glad his father hadn't been foolish enough to finish the swing of his sword. Kratos watched as it landed with a splat and juices went everywhere. Sighing in relief inwardly, he glared at Lloyd. "Just what did you hope to accomplish with that? True, you caught me off guard, but why?"

Lloyd simply shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly "Dunno, just thought it'd be funny. You really need to loosen up, you know? You're always so serious." He turned his gaze towards Noishe, who seemed to be watching the scene with what could be taken as a humorous look. His tail wagged excitedly.

"I'm only serious because I'm on guard. You never know when you'll be attacked by an enemy, so I make sure to be always ready." Kratos replied in seriousness, his wisdom gained from the Kharlan War coming out of him.

"True, but that's during something like a war. Here, you're surrounded by innocents and friends, so it's okay to let your guard down for once and be yourself. It's not like we're gonna judge you for it." Lloyd countered.

Kratos looked at Lloyd. "What makes you assume that I worry of being judged?"

Lloyd looked at the mercenary. "Simple. You always try to act tough and wise, and it's a good façade. You've impressed most of the people we've come across, as well as my friends. However, to me, it's nothing but a shield, so to speak." His gaze suddenly hardened, making Kratos involuntarily flinch, but only slightly.

"You use it as a shield to hide how you really feel, what you really think. In doing so, you become bitter at everyone around us, and at the same time, afraid. You become afraid of us because you worry that once we find out the true you, we won't accept you anymore. In fact, it's that same fear that drives the racism between half-elves and humans does it not?" Lloyd said, his words striking Kratos in the heart as a sword would.

'_Impossible. How can he read me so clearly? Someone his age shouldn't have that sort of insight, unless something happened to him at an early age.' _Kratos grimaced inwardly. '_And that's exactly what happened. I abandoned Lloyd at a young age, killed his mother, and here I am now, being told by my son how I feel.' _"However…" Kratos' attention was suddenly brought back to the real world, where he saw Lloyd with now a compassionate look in his eyes, replacing the cold one before.

"That does not mean that you don't have a chance, Kratos. We accept you right now, because you are Colette's protector. That does not mean, however, that we can't accept you for more than that. We are your friends, and that should mean a lot to you." Lloyd closed his eyes and sighed. Being, what was the word, philosophical?...was very difficult sometimes.

"I'm going to bed now, alright? I'm tired, so I'll see you in the morning." Lloyd yawned and proceeded to walk off, leaving Kratos staring at him with confusion sketched onto his face. Lloyd suddenly stopped and partially turned towards Kratos, but didn't reveal his face to him. "Kratos?"

Said swordsman became rapt with attention. "Yes, Lloyd?"

"Please consider what I said carefully, because every word I said is true, and you know it. If you want to talk, you can find me. You can trust me to keep quiet, because I would trust you the same. But…" Lloyd turned slowly, looking Kratos straight in the eye, making him almost flinch again.

"Betray my trust Kratos, and the hell I'll show you will go beyond anything you've ever experienced, understand?" Kratos swiftly nodded, and Lloyd turned away. "Good. Goodnight, Kratos." And he walked inside.

Kratos was left there shivering, though it was not from the gently winds that blew across the desert. He shivered out of an emotion he thought he had forgotten: Fear. The look in Lloyd's eyes held his words up, and Kratos realized with even a little more fear, if possible, that he could and would do so if it came down to it. As he stood there, he wondered silently '_Lloyd…what has happened to you to make you this way? I assumed you would be just learning about the world, yet you show me as if you've seen the war I was in yourself. And you make it worse for me since I work for Cruxis undercover_...Kratos sighed. …_would it be so bad?' _Kratos turned his gaze at the sky. '_If I were to quit Cruxis and join Lloyd to save this world? I could even have him help me to save this world and Tethe'alla. Thinking about it, it doesn't feel like a bad decision, but what about Mithos?'_ He ruffled his hand through his hair as he started to walk back.

_This is all too confusing to think about right now. Two things I've learned tonight for sure though. One, don't cross Lloyd and make him mad. The other…_Kratos sighed.

* * *

Soon enough, morning comes and we find our heroes ready to leave the town. Though no one seemed to take notice of it, Sheena seemed a lot friendlier to the group now, especially Lloyd. Kratos seemed to have changed overnight as well, a look of simple relaxation on his face. If one looked closer, one could almost see a twitch in the corner of his lips, indicating a hidden smile. Soon enough, after securing their supplies and being in order, the group left and made their way towards the Ossa Trail.

About an hour later, the group reached the Ossa Trail in good spirits. The weather had been comfortable, not too hot nor humid, making everyone feel, well, nice for once. Though they wouldn't admit it, everyone was glad to have left the desert. They were tired of cleaning the sand out of their shoes after walking around in it.

Walking past the clearing where the hidden mine shaft lay, Lloyd, out of pure reflex, looked in the direction where Sheena originally made her appearance. Observing the cliff, he reminisced about how they had first met, but stopped when he noticed a shadow that wasn't supposed to be there. Extending his hearing using the angel senses granted to him, he heard the quieted breathing coming from behind the cliff. He identified it as being humanlike. As if taking notice of Lloyd's gaze, the shadow moved and vanished from sight.

Lloyd was no fool when it came to situations like these. It was either one of the various monsters in the area, or it was a robber. Most likely the latter of the two. He looked at Kratos, whose gaze was focused on the path in front of him too. "Kratos." Lloyd whispered, so as to not draw attention.

"You noticed it too? Someone or something is following us, and I'm curious to know what it is. Sheena's noticed as well." Kratos said, surprising Lloyd. He quickly schooled his features to hide his shock and looked to Sheena, who nodded silently.

"What do you think we should do? I don't know if it's hostile or not. Should we wait till it appears?" Lloyd whispered, putting his hand to one of his blades as a precaution. Kratos quickly shook his head to Lloyd's actions and said "Relax. We'll wait to see if it means harm. If it does, we'll be ready for it." He continued walking as if nothing had happened, while Lloyd fell back into place with Sheena beside him.

"Don't worry, Lloyd. I'll keep an eye on the others to make sure their not harmed if we have a confrontation." Sheena said before Lloyd could ask anything. Lloyd nodded and relaxed. He shouldn't get worked up like that. Hot-headedness doesn't do anyone any good in a fight.

Soon enough, the group reached another clearing, where one of the cliff walls seemed to be covered by a shoddily built wooden wall. It had a few cracks along itself, and seemed to be rotting. Lloyd kept his senses about him, realizing this was their stalker's best opportunity to attack. If only he knew how right he was.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes to their left, drawing everyone's attention to it. Lloyd put his hand to his blade as Kratos did the same. Sheena took a step to the right so as to position herself between the possible position of the follower and the rest of the group.

"Whoever's out there, come out now. We know you're there, so come out and face us." Lloyd called out, and waited for a response. There was silence a moment before more rustling sounded, acknowledging movement in the bushes. Lloyd took a ready stance so as to prepare himself, and everyone else took his lead.

Out of the bushes came a figure, clothed in a dark cloak that hid his features well. Lloyd could not make out the physical ability of this person because of this, but continued to observe. His face however, quickly drew his attention. The person's eyes glowed yellow, and were slit, giving him a demonic sort of look. His attention seemed to be focused on Lloyd, who continued to keep his eyes on him, venting his own feelings of power and fury into his eyes. On his face, he noticed, he had a scar that covered the left cheek, in the form of a cross.

Kratos remained at the ready, watching cautiously as the figure and Lloyd stared each other down. He could not figure what the possible power range of this new opponent would be, but could sense that this was someone not to be trifled with.

The figure finally stopped halfway into the clearing a good distance away from the group. The wind softly blew as silence reigned over the area, finally broken by Kratos. "Who are you, and what business have you with us?"

The being chuckled softly to himself at this, causing everyone else to stare at him wearily at the possibly insane person. "My name is of no concern to you right now, Kratos Aurion. My only business is with the one you call Lloyd."

Both Lloyd and Kratos stiffened at this. This guy knew who they were, but how? "And what do you want with me?" Lloyd questioned, his thumb poking out his sword so as to be ready. The cloaked figure noticed this, and smirked. "Now, now. No need for hostilities right now, I only wanted to talk. Well, that and something else."

"You wish to talk? About what?" Lloyd asked, confused to the man's words.

"I merely wished to meet the person who brought me into existence was all. To realize that my creator is this powerful swordsman, makes me feel at least slightly honored to meet you." He explained, smiling evilly.

"Say what? Your creator?" Lloyd responded, dumbfounded by his words. Everyone else became confused at this, wondering just who this man was and what his relationship with Lloyd was.

The figure sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "It matters not right now. All you need to know is that there will come a time when you and I shall meet again, and we shall fight, and I…shall kill you." He finished coldly. "But first, I believe a test is in order, to see if you can possibly consider challenging me. If you survive this test, then perhaps you can fight me." H suddenly raised a gloved hand form the cloak, covered in black, and snapped his fingers.

No one moved for a moment when the ground started to shake. Sheena, quickly using her hearing, realized where it was coming from. "Behind us!" She exclaimed, pulling everyone one away from the wooden wall as it started to crumble. It finally fell, kicking up dust and clouding the area from view.

Lloyd drew his attention away from that back to the figure, who was now laughing. "What did you do?"

The figure vanished, but his voice echoed over all the noise. "Come, my servant! Wreak havoc upon these fools who disturb your grounds. Arise, Sword Dancer! HAHAHAHA!" the voice echoed chillingly, and was then followed by a monstrous roar.

"Oh, shit. Please tell me that's not what I think it is…"Lloyd pleaded with no one as he turned towards the now fallen wall. As the dust finally cleared, a shadow was finally seen.

It was surprisingly tall, taller than everyone there and big enough to hardly fit through the newly made entrance to the mine. It was colored a dark-blue, its arms and legs and whole body in the form of a giant skeleton. A bony tail extended out from behind the creature. It had four arms, each holding a various version of a sword in each hand. On its head, two horns curved on the side. Its eyes portrayed nothing, because it had no eyes, yet seemed to stare down in fury at the group of warriors.

"This is definitely not good." Lloyd said, as the beast roared again, then leapt towards the group, blades at the ready.

* * *

Author's notes: Cliffhanger! Oh, I know how you hate that! So, what did you think? Did you like the mature side of Lloyd, as well as the little fluff between Lloyd and Sheena and the scene between Lloyd and Kratos? I did! Read and review! 


	11. Chapter 11

Raenef the 6th: Chapter 11! Finally! This took me forever to write. Who knew that the Sword Dancer was such a hard plot point to use!

Music in the Dark: I helped with the battle scene!

Raenef: Yes, you did. Good boy! (Feeds Music a biscuit) I don't own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does! On with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

After the first Regeneration Journey, Lloyd learned there are few things that could disturb him nowadays. One was watching people get mistreated for their race, like the half-elves get treated. That pissed him off. Another was…tomatoes.

They're just plain creepy.

However, it was during the fight with the Sword dancer that Lloyd learned something else that disturbed him. Watching your friend's get hurt, and being unable to help. That _really _pissed him off.

The sword Dancer leapt towards the group and swung his first blade, from his left lower arm, towards Lloyd who dodged. The second and third blade came down swiftly after, towards Kratos and Sheena, and forced them to split in different directions. The final blade came at a wide swing horizontally, causing Raine to duck and Genis simply to nod his head. '_Being short has its uses.' _He thought, as he prepared a lightning spell to stun him.

"Raine, get back!" Lloyd cried as he parried the Sword Dancer's assault as best as he could. It was taking all his strength to block the attacks. "Make sure to keep healing everyone!"

"Right!" Raine answered as she moved out of the Undead's range of attack. Kratos rushed forward and attempted to sever one of the arms by bringing his blade forward and slashing at what could be assumed to be the creature's elbow. However, the blade wasn't strong enough to cut through completely, and Kratos was knocked back by a backhand from the Sword Dancer.

"Damn! This being is stronger than I first assumed!" Kratos said as he rolled away from another swing. "We're outmatched if he keeps this up!"

Sheena moved next, attempting to at least harm the creature by Pyre sealing its leg. "Pyre Seal!" The card landed, but she was knocked away before pushing it to do any damage. "Arrgh!" She cried as she hit the ground hard.

"Sheena!" Lloyd exclaimed as he watched her fall. He immediately rushed to help her by leaping in front of her and blocking the two swords that came down on him. He held his ground as the Sword dancer pushed against Lloyd and tried to overpower him. He turned his head towards her and said "Move Sheena! Get out of here!" She quickly dashed away, giving Lloyd room to fight.

The Sword dancer swung a third blade down on Lloyd, furious that the human could hold up so long. Lloyd moved his second blade to counter it, holding it back as well. The undead roared in fury and finally used his fourth blade. This one caught Lloyd off guard and sent him flying into the air.

"Lloyd!" Colette yelled as she rushed forward. Using her wings, she landed in front of Lloyd and began to use Angel Feathers.

"Holy wings, I beg of thee to reveal thy glory. Angel feathers!" And with that, she extended her hand upward, commanding the now summoned rings of holy energy to attack the creature. Rushing forward, the attack struck its torso, making it screech in pain at the touch of its opposing element. It quickly recovered and swung a sword at the tiny angel, causing her to fly away to avoid getting hit.

Lloyd, now getting up after recovering from the assault, saw this and took action. Charging at the Sword Dancer, Lloyd swiftly dodged the blades that swung down to cleave him in two. Breaking past the defense of the undead, he aimed for the frontal part of the creature, right about the equivalent of where the human pelvic area would be.

"Beast!" Lloyd exclaimed as he slammed his body against the undead, the battle energy rippling through it. Not expecting its inner defense to be penetrated, the creature stumbled back out of shock and pain. Lloyd quickly followed up by pulling both blades back and began to swiftly jab at the undead.

"Sonic Sword Rain!" Lloyd exclaimed as the blades chipped away at the dead bones. He finally stopped his jabbing, revealing the bone to be chipped away and heavily cracked now. With one final stab forward, this one charged in the form of a Sonic Thrust, the blade broke the supporting bone, causing the Sword Dancer to fall back to the ground, for the moment.

Lloyd quickly leapt back so as to put distance between himself and the Sword Dancer. '_That may have stopped him for now, but he'll get back up soon. We need to figure out a plan!' _He turned to the group to see how they were each faring. He was relieved to see no one was seriously harmed, and any minor injuries were already being tended to by Raine.

"Lloyd, what do we do?" Genis asked, rushing over to confer with his friend. None of his spells were working, mostly due to the fact he couldn't get enough time to prepare them without worry of getting sliced by a sword. "That thing's too tough!"

"Genis is right. We may wish to consider retreating now while we have the chance. We may not last if we stay." Raine said gravely as she worked to heal Sheena's leg, which had been sprained when she had been hit by the Sword Dancer.

"But if we go now, the creature will follow us, and possibly attack the nearby towns and villages. That would be a far worse consequence." Kratos countered, joining in the conversation. '_If it comes to the worst, I may have to use my angel abilities in this fight. The Chosen One, nor Lloyd, cannot die here. I will not allow it!' _He thought, determined to defend his son.

"We can't let that happen! We can't let innocents get hurt if we can prevent it!" Colette stated. She wouldn't admit it, but she was horribly frightened right now. She had never met such a terrible creature as the Sword Dancer, which made her wonder just what else awaits her on this journey.

"But how can we fight it? That thing's almost impossible to hit, let alone find a weak point!" Sheena said, now standing after being healed. She had heard of the Sword dancer's ferocity from the Vice-chief back in Mizuho. It was one of the few creatures in Sylvarant that Sheena had been warned to try to avoid at all costs, yet here she was now.

Lloyd closed his eyes and thought silently. '_If it were just me, I'd use my angel abilities to take it out.' _Lloyd quickly glanced at his father before closing his eyes again. '_But Kratos is here, and if I use my angel abilities here, then I'll be caught and my cover will be blown. Not to mention he'll probably kick my ass for not telling him I knew who he was all along. And then he'd ground me.' _Lloyd sighed in frustration. He and the rest of the group suddenly jumped as they heard rumbling behind them. The sword Dancer was starting to regenerate his body back. They're running out of time.

"Wait." Sheena said, drawing everyone's attention. "The Sword Dancer's weakness is Light, correct?"

"That's correct." Kratos responded, wondering her point.

Sheena quickly reached into her robe, unknowingly making Lloyd blush slightly. She pulled out a knapsack and opened it. Digging inside, she quickly pulled out a small stone and held it up. "This is White quartz. It's supposed to add the element of light to one's attacks. We can use this to aid us!"

Lloyd's eyes opened with realization. '_Goddess Martel, that's it!'_ "Hearing that gives me an idea! Everyone, listen up!" When everyone's attention was put on him, Lloyd immediately explained his plan.

"Look, most of our attacks have been focused on its body, right?" Everyone nodded. "Then why haven't we attempted to attack its head yet?" Lloyd let the question hang on the air, to let everyone figure it out.

"If we attacked the head, it could probably be considered its weakest point and do the most damage to it." Genis stated, starting to understand.

"So if we take out the head…"Lloyd started.

"We take out the Sword Dancer! Genius, Lloyd!" Raine exclaimed, putting the pieces together. '_Wait. Genius? Lloyd? WTF?! Those words don't go together!'_

"It is the best course of action. The only problem is getting to it. It's likely that the Sword Dancer is aware of this danger. We need to either disarm or paralyze him if we wish to attack the head." Kratos noted the only flaw in the plan. Everyone stopped there, since no one had a clue as to how to accomplish that. Raine suddenly stood up, a look of determination adorned on herself.

"Professor? What is it?" Lloyd asked, curious to his teacher's attitude.

"I…I can stop it. I only know a beginner's spell, but it should be enough to stop it long enough for you to get a clear shot. I'll need time to prepare it though, so you'll need to cover me until I'm ready. I'll let you know when I am ready." Raine said, her voice slightly wavering as she stood there. Raine was not a fighter, she knew this. She didn't have the courage or strength to be so bold. But she knew her magic well enough to help.

"Thank you Raine. We're counting on you, alright?" Lloyd said, showing a confident smile. She nodded in response. The mood was ruined, however, when the Sword Dancer roared again, its body fully recovered. It stood at its full height again, towering over the group.

"Alright everyone! Remember the plan!" Lloyd exclaimed as he drew his swords. Everyone readied themselves as they waited for someone to move. The wind blew softly as both opposing forces stood there, as if waiting for some signal. When the wind stopped, a rock fell from the entrance to the mine where the Sword Dancer originated. When it hit the ground, with a loud crash, both parties moved forward.

"Drown! Spread!" Genis exclaimed, as a pool of water formed around the undead. It stopped in its tracks, unable to move against the current of the spray. Kratos followed up next with his magic.

"Take this! Lightning!" he shouted. A bolt of electricity came down, shocking the creature effectively, thanks to it being soaked by Genis' spell. It roared at the pain.

Sheena quickly assaulted while it was in shock at the previous attack. She pummeled him with a vengeance, combining a Pyre Seal with a Power Seal Pinion to lower its defenses. This made the creature seemingly slump a little, its body weakened by their efforts.

Colette quickly followed up with another Angel Feather barrage, aimed at doing extra damage to the creature by assaulting its hands. Two of the blades in its hands dropped to the ground with a loud crash, followed shortly by its hands that carried them. "I got it!" She exclaimed happily.

Raine, while everyone was defending her, was building up her mana for her turn. Feeling the necessary level had been reached, she nodded at Lloyd, who nodded back and got into position.

"Light!" Raine suddenly exclaimed, as she held her staff up. Bright light surrounded the Sword Dancer as it tried to stand up again, but was caught by the energy of the spell. Raine then brought her staff back down and yelled "Photon!" Tendrils of light formed around the undead, suddenly stiffening in the form of spears. They quickly assailed the evil being, running through its body and creating a burning, yet paralyzing sensation in the creature. It couldn't move, forcing it to leave its head unguarded.

"Now it's my turn!" Lloyd exclaimed as he applied the White Quartz to his swords. _'Since I'm using white Quartz for light, I think a name change is in order.'_ They glowed with a bright radiance as Lloyd charged forward. A few feet away from the Sword Dancer, Lloyd suddenly leapt into the air, and seemingly hovered there as if flying with wings. (How ironic. Someone who can fly using a technique meant to make you look like you're flying anyway.)

"Take this! RISING ANGEL!" He yelled as he swooped down, blades in front of him, ready to impale the undead being. The Sword Dancer caught a glint in his eye, and managed to shift his eyes upwards. A shadowed figure was dropping towards him swiftly, hidden by the glare from the sun. Realizing what it was, the Sword Dancer gave a deafening howl, as if to stop Lloyd. But it was all for naught.

"YAHHH!" Lloyd shouted as he swung both blades in an X formation, slicing right across the Sword Dancer's head. The swords pierced through the hard shell of the head, and dragged across the entire top of it before being pulled out by Lloyd, who landed on the opposite side of the Sword Dancer.

It gave a final roar, as the seemingly etched X in its head glowed brightly, before finally disintegrating, leaving behind a glowing object on the ground. Lloyd sheathed his swords and said to himself, "It just wasn't your day." He then plopped to the ground, due to a combination of exhaustion and loss of adrenaline. The others soon joined him. Well, except for Kratos, who opted to lean against a boulder.

"Whew, I'm glad that's over with." Genis said as he leaned back, propped up by his arms. "I almost thought we were goners at one point." '_I can't believe how strong Lloyd is, though! He's never shown this kind of ability before in Iselia! Where is he getting it from? His exsphere couldn't possibly be causing all this, could it?' _these thoughts jumbled around in Genis' head.

Unknown to Genis, Kratos was thinking along the same lines. '_This is becoming rather suspicious. Lloyd's current skill level is far above what it should be. He could almost match me at this rate if I held back my full power. I need to figure out what's going on. Perhaps I can convince him to do training sessions with me. Then I can figure out where all this ability is coming from. _"Yes, but we succeeded, though if barely." He said aloud, his inner emotions not being betrayed by his face.

"Is everyone alright? No one's hurt, are they?" Colette asked, concerned for the group's well being.

"No, but-wait. Where's Raine?" Sheena replied, looking for the bewitching female teacher. Everyone quickly looked around as well. That is, until they heard the well-known maniacal laughter that is…ruin-mode Raine.

"MARVELOUS! SIMPLY MARVELOUS! Truly, a wonderful specimen!" Raine cackled as she hovered over the small artifact dropped by the Sword Dancer. She recognized it as one of a set of three. This item was known as the Yata Mirror, and was quite valuable. "And it's mine. Muhahahaha!" Raine laughed maliciously. She suddenly remembered where she was, and looked at the group, who were now sweat-dropping heavily. "What?"

"Never mind her. I want to figure out who that mysterious man was! What's his deal?" Genis exclaimed, now focusing on Lloyd, remembering he had somehow indirectly caused this to happen. "And how does he know you and Kratos, Lloyd?" This affixed everyone's attention from Raine, even Raine herself, to Lloyd and Kratos, who both gulped nervously under the curious stares.

"I honestly haven't a clue." Kratos shook his head. Lloyd mumbled out a ditto, which only scorned the group to try again.

"He said he knew who you and Kratos were! He knew Kratos' last name! He even said that you created him! You've gotta know something! Anything!" Genis exclaimed. His curiosity had been perked by that statement, considering he only knew one way in which a person could be created, and he knew for certain Lloyd was too young and too dense for that possibility.

"I'm curious as well. What's his relation to you, Lloyd?" Colette asked, tilting her head towards Lloyd's direction.

Lloyd simply shook his head and answered "I honestly don't know who he was. For all I know, he could be some crazy gay ninja that stalks 12 year old little boys."

* * *

Orochimaru suddenly sneezed. "Someone's talking about me again. I hope it's Sasuke!"

* * *

"The point is, I don't know who that was, and nor do I care. We simply need to watch out for him and be careful about him." '_They don't need to worry about him. But how did he know who I am? How does he even know Kratos? Ughh, this is confusing. Maybe when I see Yuan again, I can ask him about it.' _Lloyd stood and dusted himself off. "We need to get moving now; we're not totally out of danger yet. Let's get to Izoold and then we can rest." He started to walk off, leaving the others to catch up and in their own thoughts. Unknown to Lloyd, the group had shared a glance behind his back; one that said they knew he was hiding something, and they need to find out what.

Kratos stared at his son as he walked.

* * *

The group reached Izoold soon after leaving the Ossa Trail. By that time, most had forgotten about the incident and pushed it back in their minds, their own selves focused on wanting to rest. They quickly checked into an inn, most ready to fall into sweet unconsciousness. Save for the two angels, Lloyd and Kratos. Lloyd, because of the mysterious being he now suspects stalks them, and Kratos, because of the worry and gloom he senses from his child.

Night came, and the world found most of the party asleep soundly. Lloyd, however, sat up in his bed, propped against the headboard. His mind would not calm itself, no matter what he tried. He decided to go for a walk to clear it. Donning his clothes, he left his room silently and proceeded outside the inn.

Stopping at the front of the inn, where they had conveniently built a deck for whatever reason, he rested at the fence-line built there. Staring at the moon, he began to think the thoughts that occupied him.

_'I just don't get it. Why am I so worked up over this whole thing? We defeated the Sword Dancer; we're all alive, so why am I still so worried? Is it because of that strange person who summoned it? Arrgh, I'm too confused on what to think.' _He sighed in frustration.

"Having trouble sleeping as well, Lloyd?" a voice whispered, causing Lloyd to jump and suddenly turn to face the voice. It revealed itself as Kratos, who joined Lloyd, and was surprisingly unarmed.

"Heh, you scared me. You couldn't sleep too?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes. It happens often to me when I am troubled or worried about something. I assume the same has happened to you?" Kratos replied, eyeing his son.

"You could say its something like that. I was thinking about a lot of things, all the things that's happened so far." Lloyd said, closing his eyes.

"Hmm." Was Kratos' simple reply. Silence reigned between the two as they stood there, the sound of crickets and other nightly creatures overtaking the conversation.

"If you wished Lloyd, I would be willing to listen and offer advice, if you wished for it." Kratos broke the silence, drawing his son's gaze away from the grassy plains. Lloyd thought about it as Kratos waited. Kratos hoped his son would answer correctly to his test of words. It would help to gain his trust.

"As much as I appreciate it Kratos, I do not wish to bother you with my problems. It's not you, it's just…" Lloyd trailed off, unable to finish. He was unsure of how to explain himself. It made it especially difficult since this was his father, someone he was supposed to be open to.

"Are you that afraid to trust me, Lloyd?" Kratos said softly, hiding the pain in his voice. However, before Lloyd could reply, Kratos continued.

"I know you have your secrets, Lloyd. Just as I have mine. I'm not going to force you to speak them if you don't want to. You probably assume that they are problems that I shouldn't bother with, simply because I'm a stranger of sorts. But that doesn't mean you can't trust me."

Lloyd turned to Kratos. "I consider you more than a stranger, Kratos. You're a friend, someone who helps me and protects my other friends. I couldn't ask for any less. It's just-" He was interrupted by Kratos.

"If you consider me a friend, Lloyd, then treat me as one. Do friends keep secrets from each other? Some do, yes, but true friends share the secrets, the worries, the concerns, all because they trust the other person. You may think that by holding it all in, you protect your friends, but in doing so, you only set them up for a greater fall when it is revealed, especially when the secret is a painful one." Kratos stopped and looked at Lloyd again.

"What I'm trying to say, Lloyd, is that you don't have to bear it alone. We are here with you, and that is what matters most. But if you feel that the burden would truly be too great, then perhaps it is best that you keep it away, so as to save your precious people from harm." Kratos turned to walk away.

"If you don't need me anymore, I'll retire now." He started to walk off, but Lloyd grabbed his shoulder softly.

"Please wait, Kratos. Please stay here." Lloyd said softly, his eyes brimming with tears long held back. Kratos turned back, and Lloyd blinked the tears away. "I'm sorry, Kratos. You're right; I'm not treating you as a friend. You showed that to me, and I thank you for it. I'm just worried about that mysterious person we met back at the trail. He said those things, and they've got me worried."

Kratos almost grinned. Almost. You could see the corners of his mouth twitching to do so. _'Is that what's got him so worked up?' _"I wouldn't be concerned with it Lloyd. That person is likely to be delusional, giving us little reason to believe what he said. Tell me, hypothetically speaking if his words were true, do you remember ever 'creating' him, so to speak?" Kratos stated.

Lloyd racked his mind, and finding no memory of it, replied "No, I don't."

Kratos continued. "Then why worry? If you know you didn't create him as he claims, then you've nothing to worry about. We merely must be cautious of him, as he seems to seek both you and me out. He has obtained great power to do this, if he was capable of summoning such a creature as that for such a purpose. Focus on the journey for now, Lloyd."

Lloyd smiled and nodded. "Thanks Kratos. I needed that. The way you said it makes it sound so simple. I think I can rest now. Good night, Kratos, and thanks again." He walked off, leaving Kratos to watch him leave.

Kratos smiled serenely. '_Grow strong, Lloyd, and let nothing stand in your way…' _Kratos looked at the moon. '_…even if that obstacle is me.'_

As Lloyd walked back, he was smiling. '

* * *

Then next morning soon came, greeting the party with a bright new day, with a few clouds in the sky and a soft breeze blowing to comfort them. Each person awoke refreshed, the effects of the previous encounter worn off. After eating breakfast, which was quite a spectacle since Raine tried to cook and almost killed everyone off; they proceeded to the docks to secure a ride, where they met Max and learned of his predicament.

After agreeing to give the letter to Aifred (Is that the guy's name? I couldn't remember), they soon left and set sail for Palmacosta where the next seal awaits them.

* * *

Author's notes: Well, there you go. Sorry for the late update. Halfway through writing it, I had my wisdom teeth removed, so I couldn't do anything for a week.

If you didn't like the battle scene with the Sword dancer, I'm sorry. I had nothing to go on but my own imagination and creativity and that's what came out. I also thought the Kratos and Lloyd scene was touching; (Looks to Music in the Dark) didn't you?

Music: (Sniffling) I thought it was great… (Sniff)

Raenef: Are you crying?

Music: (Wipes away tears quickly) Of course not! I am a man, and men don't cry! Besides, there was something in my eye.

Raenef: Where have I heard that before? Oh well, read and review please!


	12. Chapter 12

Yo! How's everyone doing? Welcome to the 12th chapter of Tales of Symphonia: SC. I apologize for the wait; I had to take care of some exam preparations. But, I managed to get this one together before I could be prevented from doing anymore. Now, the group is heading towards Palmacosta, where Dorr, Magnius, and the Second Seal await them! Of course, things will be a little different this time. If you want to see these changes, you're just going to have to read them, aren't you?

Also, for this chapter, the order of events may seem slightly out of order, but it's for humor's sake and to get the plot moving, so let it slide and laugh like the rest of the world.

Well, now that that's aside, let the show begin!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

The ride over to Palmacosta was mostly uneventful for the group. Colette and Genis observed the sea as they passed, as Kratos looked on. Lloyd simply lay against the railing of the ship, enjoying the salty air. Sheena was relaxing near Lloyd, though she preferred to sit on the ground instead. She wasn't entirely used to the sea, so she sat down to make sure she'd get through fine. She chatted with Lloyd on occasion, enjoying the conversation. Even Max was happy, getting over his grouchy mood about Aifred after being in the happy presence of the group. It was all good… 

Well, except for one tiny problem…

The whole time during the trip, the professor had been practically glued to the mast, refusing to part with it. She had her eyes closed, and could be seen shivering on occasion. In fact, she even let out a tiny whimper when the boat rocked slightly in the waves. Everyone could only sweat-drop at the pitiful sight of the teacher/ ruin maniac.

Eventually, they arrived at the Palmacosta port, where Max saw them off with a smile for once on his face. But, when they got off and did a head count, they realized they were still one person short, and as it turns out, it was Raine.

Lloyd walked back up to the boat and found Raine still stuck to the mast, shaking, even though they've stopped. "Uh, Professor?" Lloyd asked as he shook Raine on the shoulder slightly. The Professor unexpectedly yelped at the sudden contact and latched onto Lloyd's leg, much to Lloyd's confusion and slight embarrassment from a few people staring.

"Is it safe? Can we get off now?" Raine asked.

"Yep. In fact professor, I think I saw a stand selling rare artifacts in the market area." Lloyd said, playing to his teacher's weakness to archeology. Raine perked up and opened her eyes. "What kind of artifacts?"

"Oh, now let's see. I think the merchant said all the way from Balacrauf Mausoleum-Whoa!" Lloyd leaped out of the way as his teacher dashed off the ship and into Palmacosta. "She's so gullible sometimes, it's scary." Lloyd said, shaking his head as he walked off.

Reuniting with the group, they set off to the market to find Raine dashing between stands trying to find the artifacts. When her search was all for naught, she rounded on Lloyd. "WHERE ARE THEY?!" she bellowed, almost demoniacally. She seemed to gain tremendous height as Lloyd suddenly felt himself shrink and he instantly backed up. "Um…I don't know?"

WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!

And with that, Lloyd was sent reeling as he was impacted by not one, not two, but the grand total of three Raine slaps at once. He fell to the ground clutching his head. Raine dusted off her hand on her hip and glared at Lloyd. "Lloyd Irving, you know better than to lie to me, especially when it comes to artifacts!"

"Sorry Professor, but it was the only way I could get you off the ship and out here." Lloyd replied meekly, holding his head. Kratos sighed and cleared his throat. "Anyway, shouldn't we get moving and try to find out some more information about the Seal?" The rest of the group recovered from laughing at Lloyd and resumed their walk to the main part of Palmacosta.

As they rounded a corner of a building, Lloyd suddenly recognized it. _Oh, crap! This is where we ran into that fake Chosen Group! I do not want to go through that again!_ Thinking quickly, Lloyd had an idea. Just as Colette was about to walk around the corner, Lloyd stopped her. "Wait Colette!" She stopped and looked at Lloyd, as did the rest of the group. "What is it Lloyd?" Colette asked.

Lloyd quickly glanced over her shoulder and saw the fake Chosen's group walk past, lead by the pompous redhead who was supposedly the fake Lloyd. Glancing back, he realized everyone was waiting for an answer. "Er…your…shoe's untied?" Lloyd said. He could feel the sweat on the back of his head from the stares he was receiving. Fortunately, Fate seemed to be on Lloyd's side this time, as Colette looked down and saw that her shoe was in fact untied. "Oh, thanks Lloyd!" She reached down and retied it as Lloyd sighed in relief.

They resumed walking, though only for a few seconds as the peace was suddenly shattered by a shout of "GANGWAY!" The group turned around to see barrels rolling towards them from a cart that had buckled on the back wheels, unleashing its contents. They quickly sidestepped out of the way and watched the barrels go on their way. However, their path just so happened to collaborate with that of the fake Chosen's group, and seeing as how they were out of earshot…

CRASH!

The barrels connected with the group, and everyone was hit, save for the fake Colette, who just stood in fright and watched them ass right by her head as they bounced down the road. The fake Lloyd quickly got up after being impacted on the head by what could now be seen as red wine, seeing as how he was completely drenched in it, giving his body and clothes a reddish tinge. He wiped the fluid form his eyes and looked to see where they had come from. The only person he saw however was Lloyd, who was laughing at his appearance. He decided that it was he who did this to him, and got ticked off.

Fate is indeed a fickle fiend.

"OI! You there, the big red goofy kid! Yeah, I'm talking to you, pal!" he shouted as he stomped over to Lloyd, flanked by his group. Lloyd merely watched as the fake Lloyd marched up to him, apparently trying to intimidate him. He finally reached Lloyd, though his intimidation didn't work as planned, seeing as how Lloyd was actually taller than he was. "You got a problem, pal?!"

Lloyd merely crossed his arms over his chest and replied "No. What makes you think I do?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe it has something to do with you throwing those barrels a me and my friends!" The redhead shouted in anger. Lloyd only stared back in mild disinterest.

"And why would I do such a thing? I have nothing to gain from doing that at all." Lloyd said quietly, absentmindedly sticking his pinky in his ear to fix it from the yelling.

"Yeah, right! You just think you're so tough, huh? You think you're high and mighty, don't you? Do you know who you're messing with?" The redhead made a fist at Lloyd as he spoke. _Let's see what he does when he hears this…_ the redhead thought cheekily. He suddenly stepped back and waved an arm across his group that was standing behind him.

"We are the Chosen One's guardians! And that same Chosen One happens to be standing right here!" He said, pointing at one of the girls of the group. She merely perked up at her being mentioned and waved shyly. "What do you have to say to that then, huh?" the fake Lloyd turned back, grinning in a cocky manner. However, the grin faded when he saw Lloyd talking to Sheena, laughing and completely ignoring him. "Hey! I was talking to you!"

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Lloyd asked as he turned to look as Fake Lloyd again. This made fake Lloyd mad. _How dare he ignore me! I'll show him!_ Before he could start again, Lloyd stopped him. "Look, why don't I save you the trouble and just go ahead and tell you I can tell you're fake?" Lloyd said, looking Fake Lloyd in the eye.

Fake Lloyd took a step back and looked at Lloyd wearily. "Wh-what do you mean? She's the real Chosen!"

Lloyd shook his head and said "No she isn't, and I can tell you for two reasons why. Reason number 1, she isn't wearing a Cruxis Crystal around her neck. In fact, she has no jewelry on her neck at all." Lloyd pointed at the Fake Colette, whose hands went straight for her neck.

"Yeah, well-" Fake Lloyd tried to counter, but was interrupted by Lloyd. "And as for reason number 2, the real Chosen is standing right behind me." Lloyd said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Colette, who waved innocently.

"Sh-She isn't the real Chosen. She's…too short! Yeah, and she's got the wrong hair color too!" Fake Lloyd said desperately. The ruse he had kept up for so long was coming undone in front of him, and he was running out of options.

"Don't try to pull those lame excuses on me. Why don't you get out of here and run along? Don't you know it's not exactly smart to impersonate someone like the Chosen One?" Lloyd said, taking a step forward as if to challenge him. Unfortunately, Lloyd forgot that the Fake Lloyd had a bad temper, which had been steadily building up this whole time.

"Why, you! I'll show you who's right and wrong! YAHHH!" Fake Lloyd yelled in frustration as he charged Lloyd. Lloyd watched in mild amusement as he charged. At the last second, he sidestepped out of the way of a punch. At the same time, he quickly pulled on the Fake Lloyd's pants, causing the belt to come undone. He fell down, and upon trying to get up, his pants dropped to reveal his underwear. His face now matching the color of his hair from embarrassment and rage, he quickly picked up his pants and ran off, the rest of his group following swiftly behind him. "I'll get you for this!" he yelled as he ran off.

Lloyd only laughed at the sight, as did the rest of the group who had watched the scene with curiosity, then amusement as Lloyd made quick work of the fake group. "That was great, Lloyd! Hilarious!" Genis laughed as he held his sides. He found it especially funny that the Fake Lloyd's underwear was actually tightie-whitie shorts, and his laughter kept coming as he kept thinking about it.

"I-I can't believe he fell for that, ha ha! That was funny!" Sheena giggled. While she was watching the whole time, she had wanted to do nothing more than just Pyre Seal the idiots out of the way, but she found herself preferring Lloyd's way of getting rid of them.

After getting themselves under control, the group continued walking to the main square of Palmacosta where the church and Dorr's office could be found. It was there they made the decision to split up for a little while, before going to see Dorr. Lloyd went with Sheena to see the steamboat at the other side of Palmacosta, with Sheena claiming she wants to see the sights. Genis and Raine went to the Palmacosta Academy to see if Genis could claim his recommendation to the school with Colette tagging along. She had seen a "Waitress needed" sign on one of the windows, and figured the group could use a little money.

Kratos, since he was the only one left, was left with the boring task of reserving rooms at the inn. "Why do I get all the boring jobs? Doing Mithos' laundry, guarding the Chosen One, reserving rooms. What's next, a street performance?" He grumbled to himself as he walked, people taking caution to steer clear of the now slightly pissed man.

* * *

Genis, Raine, and Colette proceeded into the Academy, where Genis was promptly challenged to a match by the current residing genius there, Mighty Washington. Genis and Raine were studying all that needed to be covered for Genis, while Colette went and applied for the waitress job. She was soon working and taking orders. 

Genis put down his pencil and scratched his head in confusion. "Is this right sis?" Genis handed the paper to Raine, who started looking it over. Genis waited patiently as she checked it. Raine put the paper back down. "It's almost right, but you messed up here. Recalculate it and try again." Raine said, pointing to a spot on the paper.

Genis sighed in frustration. "I sometimes have to admit that I envy Lloyd in these situations. He doesn't have to worry about this kind of math at all. He's still working on multiplication tables, for Martel's sake!" Genis muttered. Unfortunately, Raine heard him.

WHAP! "Ouch! What was that for?!"

Raine crossed her arms. "You should know better than that. Lloyd may not be on the same level as you are, but he puts all his effort into it at least. And look at him now! I've never seen him act so educated before! It's as if my lessons suddenly just soaked in one day!" Raine said, not observing the sweatdrop on Genis' head. '_Why put so much effort in, if he doesn't even know what 9 times 9 is?!'_

Genis resumed working on the formula before him. _'Still, that doesn't mean that attitude doesn't work elsewhere. He applies that attitude to his swordsmanship, and look at how well he excels at it! I try to apply that same attitude to my own spells, but they barely compare to his progress.' _Genis' brow furrowed slightly. _'In fact, it seems as if Lloyd has changed, as if in response to the journey itself. I've heard of people changing attitudes for the situation at hand, but this is a little much. Why wait till now to change?'_

His pencil scratched furiously as he worked. _'There is no reason for Lloyd to hide his intelligence, if there is some. Nor is there any reason to hide any other incredible qualities. It's as if the Lloyd I knew from Iselia for the past few years, has been replaced by some other Lloyd. Like an upgraded version or something.' _Genis shook his head to clear his thoughts. He was getting distracted. Yet he couldn't shake off the feeling that what he thought was closer to home than what he had aimed for.

* * *

"Wow, it's bigger than I'd thought it to be!" Sheena said, commenting on the steamship floating in front of her and Lloyd. They had walked all the way down to the other port of Palmacosta, which was reserved for mainly naval battle ships and the like. The steamship they were looking at was supposed to be the most high tech of its kind. Of course to Lloyd and Sheena, it wasn't that technologically adept as a Rheiard. But still, the sheer size of it was something to appreciate, at the very least. 

"Yeah, who'd think we would actually build something like this?" Lloyd said. Even though he'd seen it before, the large ship was still a little awe-inspiring, for the simple part of his mind. Lloyd remembers Colette's comment on how it was nearly as big as their church, and he would have to admit she was close, if not correct.

"You know, it's funny." Sheena suddenly said, turning to face Lloyd.

"Hmm? What is?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm marveling at how big this thing is and I just remembered that Tethealla had built something like this too." Sheena replied, her eyes closed in remembrance of history lessons.

"Really? When'd they build it?" Lloyd asked. He was curious to the history of Tethealla, seeing as how he didn't learn much about its past aside from the Kharlan War.

"Oh, about 500 years ago." Sheena said off-handedly. Lloyd nearly face-faulted at this. He had trouble admitting it before, but thinking about Zelos' comments in the past, Sylvarant really was like a place for country hicks! And he was supposed to be one of them!

"Right. So Sheena," Lloyd said, driving attention away his embarrassment at his home. "What do you think of the group now that you've spent some time with us?"

Sheena smiled. "You know, at first, I didn't know what to think. Based on the reports from Yuan, I expected something different."

Lloyd cocked his head to the side. "Like what?"

Sheena scratched her head as she tried to recall it, closing her eyes again. When she finally remembered, she put a fist in the palm of her hand. "Now I remember! He said that aside from you, I would expect 'to be helping a midget mage, a ditzy blond, a ruin fanatic, and a bad-ass on the journey.'" She smiled as she remembered the report. When she didn't here a reaction from Lloyd, she opened her eyes to see Lloyd twitching on the ground from a face-plant. "Lloyd?"

'_What kind of descriptions are those?! I'll admit they're slightly true, but still! Wait, what am I supposed to be like then?'_ Lloyd thought on the ground. "What did he say about me then?" Lloyd asked as he got up.

"Let's see, I think he said you were a good fighter, which we both know is true. He also said that you were kinda smart, an idealist, and that you could be trusted." Sheena replied.

Lloyd's eyebrows went up a slight notch at his description. '_Why did I get all positives, and everyone else get negatives, aside from Kratos?'_ "How did he get that out of meeting me only once?"

"I don't know. That's simply what he said." Sheena replied. '_He also forgot to mention that you were kinda cute-wait, what? Cute? Where'd that come from?!' _She fought down a blush as she refocused on her conversation with Lloyd. "W-Well, putting that aside, are you ready to head back now?"

Lloyd nodded his head. "Sure, let's head back. I think the others are probably ready to go too." They started walking back. However, unseen by both, a cloaked figure watched from the ship, unseen as he was hidden by crates atop the ship. Its head tracked their movements as they walked, and both warriors couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. A mouth could be seen inside the shadow of the hood, which soon formed a smirk as the figure suddenly vanished as if it wasn't even there.

* * *

Walking back up to the main courtyard in front of the government building, Lloyd and Sheena came upon a strange sight to behold. On one side of the courtyard, they could see Genis being surrounded by many clamoring school students. He could hear cries of "Genius, absolute genius!" and "How'd he get so intelligent? I must know!" Genis was merely smiling at the scene, his ego getting a slight boost from all the attention he was receiving. Raine had apparently been shoved to the outside of the crowd of students and was trying valiantly to get Genis out of there. They sweat dropped slightly at the sight of Raine now poking students with her staff to get them out of her way. 

Turning their heads to the other side of the courtyard, they saw Colette standing in front of the church, speaking with a couple of priests. However, Lloyd and Sheena's sweatdrop grew when they realized it wasn't so much as they were talking as it was the priests bowing to Colette and Colette trying to tell them to not do that. Not to mention the fact that another priest just so happened to be singing a famous hymn about the Chosen One, and the song apparently proclaimed they should all bow down to her. It was very odd.

A few minutes later, normalcy was resumed as the people left the area. The group reformed at the middle of the square. "Okay…what just happened?" Lloyd asked Kratos, who he assumed had seen everything. Kratos merely shrugged his shoulders and stood there with his arms crossed. "I wasn't here to witness anything. Someone apparently decided to make me go get the hotel rooms." Kratos growled, and muttered under his breath "stupid fan girls…" which just made Lloyd wonder just what he had put his father through.

"I can explain Genis' part. I had him take a test against Palmacosta Academy's best student. He got the best score on the exam, a full 100! I'm so proud of him! Of course, once the school got wind of it, they wanted to kidnap him and make him attend the school. We managed to escape before they could catch us." Raine said.

Colette then spoke up. "I went with them so I could see if I make some gald for us as a waitress. I managed to get the job, and I did make some money. But…" It was here that Colette sweat dropped. "While I did make some money, most of it was spent repairing a door I fell into, which collapsed and broke. Because of that, I only made a couple hundred all together. So I decided to go the church and visit one of the priests I knew that was in town at the time."

Lloyd held up a hand to stop her. "Wait, let me guess. When the rest of the priests heard that you were the Chosen, they immediately went into the whole praying and bowing down routine, which led you to try and stop them. Of course they didn't listen and kept bowing anyway. That sums it up?" Lloyd said.

Colette nodded. "Yep, I think so. Sorry."

Lloyd sighed. "You don't have to apologize, Colette." Looking at the rest of the group, he continued. "I guess now we're all set to see Dorr?" Seeing all nods, he nodded as well. "Then let's go."

As they walked towards the building, Lloyd suddenly remembered something he wanted to ask Origin. '_Hey Origin, can I talk to you for a moment?'_

Go ahead, Lloyd. I'm right here. Origin replied.

_'Do you have any suggestions on how to talk properly to authority figures? I don't want a repeat of last time; even though I'm certain that the fake Chosen hasn't been here yet.'_

I see. When one is speaking to an authority figure, Lloyd, they treat that figure with respect and honor. You must sound strong and yet as if you regard the person in front of you as someone who has more power than you. In this case, you must treat Dorr as if he was King Tethealla.

'_Okay, I got that. Anything else?'_

Actually, yes. While you must treat the person with such respect, you must make sure not to sound weak. If you do, you'll come off as someone who is easily manipulated, and in the wrong situation, this could be a deadly mistake. In fact, you should- Origin suddenly cut off.

'_Origin? What's wrong?'_

I do not know. I just now sensed the energies within that building you're going to. I cannot say for certain, but something is wrong, this is undeniable. Be cautious, pact maker.

_'Right, I will be.' _Lloyd cut off the connection and refocused on the building. What could lie within there to worry Origin?

Kratos walked alongside Lloyd, slightly bored with it all at the moment. His attention was rekindled when he suddenly felt a slight prickle in his head. Now normally, anything of the sort that dealt with the internal workings of Kratos' mind was dangerous enough. However, this particular feeling Kratos felt was associated with Origin and his Seal. Kratos quickly scanned the possible options.

One, someone was trying to break the Seal. This option was right out because only he could break the seal, no one else.

Two, something had happened to Origin, and he was trying to contact him or Mithos. However, this was also considered pointless to consider, since he would have heard a message along with the feeling, and he had received no message.

That left a third option, which was the unknown option. Kratos always hated this option, because it meant he couldn't figure out what was going on around him. The only time he was okay with this was when he was with Anna while raising Lloyd, because the unknown was usually more chores for him to do such as cleaning Lloyd. Ugh, how he hated that job.

Kratos just happened to glance to his left at Lloyd as he thought, and absent-mindedly noticed Lloyd was spaced out in thought as well. He then replayed the sequence of events back to himself, and realized that he had received the feeling right as soon as Lloyd had spaced out. But that was impossible, for Lloyd to communicate with Origin. He shouldn't even know of Origin's existence, but it was too suspicious for Kratos to ignore. Could Kratos' connection with Origin possibly passed on to Lloyd, as a father's genes pass on to his child? He wasn't sure, because he had never heard of such a thing.

All this was brought to a stop as they entered the building to see an unforeseen sight. Lloyd and Kratos stiffened as Colette and Genis gasped. Papers lay strewn across the floor, tables overturned on their sides and backs. Weapons that were laid aside for the guards were broken on the ground, jaggedly snapped in two. The worst sight, however, was the blood and body in front of them.

Dorr was lying on the table, a sword broken beside him. They could see a short knife stuck through his heart, with cuts along his arms and torso. His eyes were closed, his head tilted to the side. There was no question about it. Dorr was dead.

* * *

Raenef: Dun-dun! Another Cliffhanger! Don't you just hate it when that happens! So, what'd you think? Don't worry; I'll have more chapters up quicker now that exams are done with. Read and review please! 


	13. Chapter 13

My, my, how the time flies

My, my, how the time flies. It's been two months since I've updated this story. Anyone who reads this and wants to kill me for taking so long, I know how you feel. I was halfway through this chapter when I lost the data due to a power outage. I was so pissed! Not to mention the research I put into this chapter took forever as well. There will be Japanese in this chapter, just to let you know.

So, where did we leave off? (Rummages around for script) Oh yeah, Dorr's dead. That was quite an unexpected twist, no? What shall happen now that Palmacosta's leader is dead before his time had come? And who could've killed Dorr? You'll have to read to find out!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

_Last time, on Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance…_

_All this was brought to a stop as they entered the building to see an unforeseen sight. Lloyd and Kratos stiffened as Colette and Genis gasped. Papers lay strewn across the floor, tables overturned on their sides and backs. Weapons that were laid aside for the guards were broken on the ground, jaggedly snapped in two. The worst sight, however, was the blood and body in front of them._

_Dorr was lying on the table, a sword broken beside him. They could see a short knife stuck through his heart, with cuts along his arms and torso. His eyes were closed, his head tilted to the side. There was no question about it. Dorr was dead._

_And now, the story continues…finally…_

* * *

There are three main reactions when one sees someone die. They are as follows:

1. The viewer breaks down and cries at the sight, because they pity the poor soul who died.

2. The viewer stands there stonily, merely looking at said dead person with quiet sorrow, but putting it aside.

3. The viewer laughs his ass off at the fact that the victim was killed, and walks away still laughing. Also known as the asshole choice.

However, this time, at least 3 was left out.

Colette immediately rushed forward, followed by Raine. Kratos and Lloyd quickly scanned the area over, seeing if there was any sign of the attacker left. Genis was merely frozen in place, not used to such raw gore being present in front of him.

'_Who…who could've done this?' _He thought, frightened down to the core of his being. For Martel's sake, he could swear he saw one of the organs of a body lying in the corner. It looked like a heart…Genis paled. He had to get out of here before he got sick, or fainted. But before he could run, a hand pressed onto his shoulder.

"Where do you think you are going, Genis?" Kratos asked with his eyes boring into the young mage's own. He couldn't move, let alone because of Kratos' hand, but his eyes made him stop.

"I…I just…" Genis couldn't find an answer and put his head down.

"I know you aren't used to this Genis. You shouldn't be if you'd lead a peaceful life. But if you're going to go with us on this journey, then you must grow used to a sight like this. I'm not saying to just go numb, but you must have some resolve." Kratos said, looking around the battle-covered room.

"I know, but-" A loud groan interrupted Genis, drawing everyone's attention. Sheena was helping someone get up from under one of the flipped tables. Lloyd instantly recognized it as Neil, and rushed to help.

"Hey, take it easy. Are you all right?" Lloyd asked the semi-conscious man. He opened his eyes a little and upon seeing Lloyd, had fear in his eyes, but only for a moment. This was not missed by Lloyd or Kratos, but they put it aside for later.

"Oh…thank Martel. I thought he'd come to finish me off." Neil said tiredly, using the table as a means to steady himself. Now that he was standing up, everyone could see how his clothes were torn, with a few scratches here and there.

"It was horrible…I've never seen such a powerful warrior before…" Neil muttered, wobbling a little as he spoke. Raine found a chair that wasn't destroyed and sat him in it as she started to perform first aid on him. He continued.

"It was a complete slaughter. At first, we thought we could take him on, since we had him outnumbered. But we severely underestimated him…"

_Flashback _(This may get a little gory folks, so watch yourself)

_BOOM! KLASH!_

"_Arrgh!" one soldier screamed as he was sent flying, now armless. Two others took his place, but were quickly swept aside by a horizontal slash, literally tearing through them and spraying blood from their now half bodies. They fell to the ground with a sickening squish, their inner organs easily visible._

"_Wh-what are you?" Neil stammered, frightened for his life. The cloaked figure stepped forward. In one hand, the figure held a strange sword, one that Neil could honestly say he had never seen before in his life. The sword itself was a two-handed sword, about 4 feet long. The handle was colored a dark red, but the metal of the sword drew Neil's attention._

_It was colored a bright red. Three spikes jutted out from its sides, with one extended sharp point at the end. Runes could be seen on the blade, though Neil couldn't understand what they say. The worst of it all however, was not the sword itself, but the person holding the blade, for Neil had caught a glimpse into his eyes._

_Darkness. Nothing but pure darkness rested within them. Darkness, with a look of evil, enhanced by the madness radiating from him._

_Neil tried to shake off the emotions of fear, but could only settle for a shiver that made his own sword shake in his hand._

_The figure noticed Neil's movement, and vanished from view. He reappeared behind Neil, much to Neil's confusion, until he heard the sound of his sword shattering. He dropped what remained of the sword and let it hit the floor with a clatter._

'_H-how?! So…fast! I couldn't even follow him!'_

_He then heard another clang of metal, and witnessed his leader, Dorr, trying to fend off the mysterious person. He could tell, though Dorr was giving it his all, the other wasn't even trying, grinning as he blocked and parried every assault made by Dorr. He finally stepped forward and struck Dorr, swinging his blade once to knock his sword away. Then, he swung the sword in reverse, slashing against Dorr, but only managing to give him a long, but shallow cut across his side due to Dorr moving at the last second._

"_Arrgh! Damn you!" Dorr cried, holding his side now._

"_Sorry. Too late for that now, someone's already done that." The figure said menacingly, charging forward to strike. Realizing Dorr was defenseless; Neil noticed a knife dropped by one of the guards. He quickly picked up and threw the knife to try and throw the warrior off course, but the warrior was ready._

_He held up his blade and deflected the knife, heading in the worst direction possible: Dorr's heart. Neil felt as if his own heart was stabbed as he watched his leader clutch at the knife that pierced him, only to fall atop a table and die. Neil fell to his knees, he knew what was next. Now the figure would kill him, it was indubitable. Neil could only hope that Dorr's daughter would not be found hiding under the table near the window._

"_Well now, that was unexpected. Thanks much, pal. You saved me a little trouble. I suppose for that, I'll let you live, as well as the girl in the corner, crying her eyes out." The figure said, sheathing the sword. As he moved it to its sheath on his back, Neil again saw the runes, only this time they glowed, and Neil suddenly realized their meaning._

"_Th-that sword! It couldn't be!" Neil muttered in fear. He tried to tell himself it wasn't real, but couldn't figure out a way to reason that he was deceiving himself. As the blade went into the sheath, it suddenly shifted into a jet black katana, shorter than the other blade by about a foot._

"_Well, I suppose I should leave now. "_He_" will be here soon enough." The figure said, with venom being heard as he said "he". Neil watched him vanish, not even opening the door, before he went into unconsciousness from shock and fear._

_End flashback_

Neil concluded his tale with his eyes closed and his face downcast. It was easy to see how hard it was to recall that memory. Lloyd and the others could only feel grief for the lives lost, but through it, Kratos managed to recover first and asked Neil something that was bothering him. "Neil, tell me, what did the runes say on the sword? This is important." Kratos said, kneeling down to his level so his eyes looked into Neil's.

Neil whispered it first so softly that Kratos didn't hear him, and asked him to repeat louder. Neil replied with one word:

"_Amatsu-mikaboshi_." (1)

Kratos froze where he was, out of true fear for once in his long life. There was no way, absolutely no way what he just heard was correct. If it was…Kratos shuddered. "Neil, are you absolutely certain that this is what you saw? For certain?" He asked warily, his voice seemingly strained.

"As certain as the wounds on my body." Neil replied gravely.

Everyone looked on as Kratos slowly stood back to his full height, his hair shadowing his eyes. He walked over slowly to a nearby chair that hadn't been destroyed, and sat down with his head in his hands. Everyone watching was confused, since they had never seen this kind of behavior before in Kratos.

"Kratos? What is it? And what's this…Amatsu-thingy?" Lloyd asked. To see his father, a mighty warrior, quickly change from determination to near defeat so swiftly, gave Lloyd cause to worry.

'_Origin, do you know anything about this whole mess?' _Lloyd thought quickly, wondering if the leader of the spirits knew what was going on.

I do, pact-maker. In fact, it answers many questions of my own about this matter. Listen closely, as Lord Kratos will explain. Origin answered.

Kratos was silent for a moment, lost in his own thoughts. '_I'd never think it possible, but somehow, that sword has come back, and now we must deal with the consequences of the past.'_ Kratos then looked up at the rest of the group, who merely stared back in curiosity.

"Listen closely, for what I am about to tell you, is a tale that few others have heard before." Kratos said, motioning everyone to sit down for a moment. After they were seated, Kratos began.

"Long ago, there were two swords that were known throughout the realm of this world. They had been forged by a master-craftsman, who went by the name of Vulcan.(2) He was one of the greatest craftsmen known to exist, creating weapons and armor for humans and gods alike. The summon spirits knew him, the humans worshiped him, and the gods commanded him. In his work, he created several swords that are now replicated today, such as muramasa, or the Holy Rapier. Each was based off legends that tell of Vulcan crafting the blades, though it is unknown if they were crafted for good or evil.

" But through them all, Vulcan could not find a sword to call a true masterpiece. He did not know where to find the inspiration for one, so he left his workshop one day, hidden in the mountains, and wandered the world. He searched far and wide for that inspiration, and could not find it. He nearly gave up hope, until he came across a battlefield where a war had taken place between two rival countries."

"Their true names have been lost to history, but the countries now carry the names of Carthage and Parthia.(3) Carthage was a city of Great Power, having both a powerful army and navy, and garnered wealth from their success in several wars before this one. Parthia, as well, was great, for though its population was smaller than Carthage's, their warriors' might made up for the lack in numbers. Parthia was successful as well, and both countries were at peace with each other, until one fateful day."

"A new ruler had been crowned for Carthage, one who, unlike the past rulers, was a greedy king. He sought to have more land than what he has, and targeted Parthia for its vast land. He sent his army to attack Parthia, and Parthia's own king responded with their army. After months of heavy fighting, the kings decided that they were having too many casualties and decided to settle it by making their strongest warriors fight each other to the death. They met on the battlefield between their countries, where the previous armies fought before. Vulcan was able to glimpse their battle, and was in awe of them."

"On one side, stood Abaddon, warrior representing Carthage. On the other stood Zerachiel, representing Parthia. The battle began at the crack of dawn on the first day of the New Year, with Vulcan watching from afar. They battled for days, neither wishing to submit for love of their countries. Finally, both fatally wounded the other, and both fell to declare a stalemate between the two countries." Kratos stopped, taking a moment to regain his breath.

"But, what does that have to do with this sword Neil's talking about?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm getting there Lloyd, just be patient." Kratos replied, ready to continue.

"After witnessing the fight, Vulcan felt that that one fight was his inspiration. Rushing back to his workshop in excitement, he began work on the swords that would ultimately affect the world."

"One sword, the sword Neil spoke of, was forged using the strongest flame he could muster. He picked the darkest metal he could find, far within the depths of the underworld, and crafted it into the katana that Neil described. He called this sword, 'Tsukuyomi', in respect to the god of the moon. He then began on the second sword, forging it with the same flame, but with the holiest metal from heaven, given by the blessings of the goddess. It was crafted similarly, and granted the four energies that created the universe, though those names are lost today as well. It was named Kotoamatsukami. (4). Both were amazing swords, and Vulcan was pleased with them."

"However, what Vulcan didn't know was that the metal he had used for Tsukuyomi was sentient and evil due to its birth in the underworld. On the night after creating them, Tsukuyomi attempted to kill its creator, using its energies to from a body to wield it similar to Vulcan's own body. He attempted to kill him, but Vulcan fought him back, using the other blade. They clashed for a short time, until the sword Vulcan wielded broke, and Tsukuyomi dealt a lethal blow to Vulcan. It quickly fled, seeking to spread chaos and mayhem, since it was in its nature. Vulcan was at a loss at what to do, realizing he had unleashed a great evil in the world, and all by his doing."

"So what did he do?" Lloyd asked. Everyone glanced at Lloyd, who simply sat there looking like a little child at story time. He even used the chibi look to great effect.

"If you stop interrupting me, Lloyd, maybe you'll hear it." Kratos said, glaring a little at Lloyd, making him gulp and shut his mouth.

"Now then, Vulcan knew that he would first need help in reforming the sword, so he sought out the closest high deity he could find, known as Origin."

"Upon finding him in such a state, Origin quickly agreed to assist him in reforming the sword. He also tried to help heal his wound, but could only send him into a deep slumber that would allow him to sleep until he recovered. He reformed the sword using one of his own as a base for forming it, making the blade indestructible. It also was built with a safeguard, allowing only the purest of heart to wield it. Origin, upon fixing the sword, realized its power would attract humans to it, as well as Tsukuyomi. So he hid it, but as to where, it is unknown."

"After this, the world involving Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami was silent. There was only one time that the swords' existence was discovered, and it was by none other than the hero of the Kharlan War, Mithos." Kratos said, making everyone draw gasps.

'_Wait, Mithos found these swords? Why didn't he try to keep them, I wonder?'_ Lloyd thought silently to himself.

"There was a tale in which Mithos and his group had come across the path of Tsukuyomi, and fought against it. It went on to say, that Tsukuyomi tried to possess Mithos, realizing his potential as a warrior. However, Mithos fended him off, forcing Tsukuyomi to flee, where its presence remained unknown until this day." Kratos finally finished, leaving everyone in wonder.

"That's…quite a story, Kratos. Is it really true?" Raine asked, questioning the rationality of the story. She herself had never heard of such a legend, but she was open to new things, so long as there is evidence to back it up.

"Yes, if Neil's recount is any indication." Kratos replied, standing up from the chair and dusting himself off. Colette stood up and looked around, a slightly confused look etched on her face.

"What is it, Colette?" Lloyd asked, seeing her confusion.

"I can hear someone crying…faintly, but I hear it." Colette replied, looking around quicker, now that she's identified the noise. Neil suddenly stood up and winced. "Dorr's daughter! I've nearly forgotten her!" He stumbled over to a corner of the room, where a table had been turned over to hide some of the corner. Moving it out of the way, he revealed the tiny body of Kilia, hunched over and bawling quietly. She stopped as she realized her hiding place was discovered and looked up to see Neil's face. She immediately leaped up and ran to him. She quickly embraced his waist as he comforted her.

"U-U-uncle N-Neil! W-Wh-What happened to-to Daddy?" She sobbed into his tunic.

"Shh, now. It's alright, Kilia. The bad man's gone, so you don't need to worry." Neil comforted her. She stopped sniffing for a moment and turned to see the other people in the room. Upon seeing Lloyd's face, much like Neil, she became frightened and hid behind Neil with a squeak.

"H-He's still here! The one who killed Daddy!" She wailed, still mourning her slain father. Everyone paused at this, and turned to Lloyd. He noticed the stares and said, "Does it look like I know? More importantly, how would I get all the way here without you guys knowing?" he finished snippily, a little agitated that they could think of him in that light.

"She speaks the truth. The one who attacked us carried a face not much different from yours. It sounds strange, I know, but it's true." Neil said, looking up from Kilia with an apologetic look in his eyes.

Lloyd knelt down to Kilia's level and spoke softly to her. "Hey, don't be like that. I'm not like that bad guy who came here and killed your dad. I promise I'm not him." Kilia pulled her head from Neil's shoulder and looked Lloyd in the eyes.

"You're not lying to me?" she asked quietly.

"No. I swear on my honor as a swordsman that I am not him." Lloyd said, smiling to show good faith in his words. Kilia looked at him for a moment before smiling a little.

"Okay. I believe you." She said, wiping her tears a little bit. Neil put her back on the ground, but she still clung to his legs out of shyness from everyone in the room. The moment was at least comfortable for a second, until the doors burst open revealing two guards who stood outside the building.

"Sir! We heard about the commotion! We came as quick as we-" one started, before seeing all the wreckage.

"S-Sir…what happened here?" The other asked shakily. Neither was used to such a sight, though they were both in the main army of Palmacosta.

"Before either of you go assuming something, be quiet and listen. Dorr is dead, that is true. However, these strangers in the room with me came here to assist me and the Governor-General. Understand?" Neil explained quickly. The last thing he needed was assumptions getting out of hand.

"Yes sir!" Both chorused, standing at attention immediately.

"Good. These people are our allies, and I expect them to be treated as such. Now, any news from the outside, soldiers?" Neil asked, quickly taking command. He had to now, since Dorr was dead now.

"No sir. We've nothing to report. There haven't been any disturbances beyond the main lines." One said. The other nodded his head in confirmation and picked up where he left off. "We were just on our way into town, when one of the townsfolk said they heard a loud commotion inside the government building, so we rushed over here."

"I see. That's good. Well, no use in just leaving this mess here. Let's get this cleaned up now." Neil said. He looked at Dorr's body solemnly. "I'll take care of the Governor-General's body." He looked at the rest of the group and opened his mouth to speak, but Lloyd cut him off.

"You don't need to ask. We'll help you out too." Lloyd said, giving a thumbs-up.

A few minutes later, the room looked a little more presentable now, with the broken chairs and tables set aside and the blood washed away. Dorr's body was moved to the basement, where Colette gave a quick prayer for his soul. As Lloyd looked on to all this, Kratos noticed how Lloyd wasn't focused on the room. "Lloyd, is something bothering you?" Kratos asked.

"Yes, there is. What Kilia and Neil said earlier, is really bugging me. Kratos, I have no brothers or sisters for that matter to my knowledge. As far as I know, I'm an only child. Yet apparently, there is someone running around with my face on their body. And what's more frightening, is that he just suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and slaughtered all these men, and for no reason whatsoever. As if he was, dare I say, entertained by it." Lloyd explained.

Kratos nodded, remembering Neil's and Kilia's expressions when they first saw Lloyd. "Don't worry. Whoever this person is is bound to screw up soon enough. It may be subtle, but we'll get him, don't worry. For now, focus on the Journey and the Chosen One. You swore to protect her first, as I recall."

"Right." Lloyd said. Secretly, he was glad his father was offering him a little comfort, inadvertently making up for the lost years in the past. Inside however, he noted another matter on his mind.

'_Something is definitely not right. Kilia's supposed to be a monster in disguise right now. Yet, when I saw her eyes earlier, there was no trace of evil in them to start with. That means she hasn't been replaced by that creature that works for Pronyma. How could my traveling back cause this much change? Better yet, what is to come?' _Lloyd thought forebodingly. His train of thought was cut off however, when yet another guard burst through the doors.

"Sir! Bad news! Really bad!" the guard said, running straight to Neil, who was busy organizing the papers that hadn't been destroyed.

"What is it? What's happened?" Neil asked, setting the papers he had in his hand on the table.

"It's Magnius sir! He's moving towards Palmacosta sir! He managed to break through the front lines!" the soldier replied shakily.

Lloyd scowled at this. '_Great. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'_

* * *

1). Amatsu-Mikaboshi: "August Star of heaven". Known from Japanese folklore as force of evil that existed before Universe did.

2) Vulcan-the blacksmith god of fire and volcanoes in Roman mythology.

3) Carthage and Parthia: Both are ancient countries that existed during the time of the Romans. They actually never warred with each other, but their names sounded good to use.

4) Kotoamatsukami: defined as the first powers that came into existence. Divided among 4, known as Amenominakanushi (Central Master), Takamimusubi (High Creation), Kamimusubi (Divine Creation), and Umashiashikabihikoji (energy).

Raenef: Alright! That was the ending part of Chapter 12. Again, sorry for the late update everyone. I'll work hard to make it up to you. So then, now that Magnius has come into the picture, what will happen?

And now: Time for a Blooper!

"Lloyd, is something bothering you?" Kratos asked.

"Yes, there is. What Kilia and Neil said earlier, is really bugging me. Kratos, I have no brothers or sisters for that matter to my knowledge. As far as I know, I'm an only child. Yet apparently, there is someone running around with my face on their body. And what's more frightening, is that he just suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and slaughtered all these men, and for no reason whatsoever. As if he was, dare I say, entertained by it." Lloyd explained.

Kratos nodded, then suddenly realized what Lloyd had just said. '_Oh, shit. I hope that one night stand in Altamira hasn't come back to haunt me...'_ Kratos suddenly shivered. Lloyd took notice and looked at him strangely.

"Kratos? Is everything...okay?" Lloyd asked.

"Just fine, Lloyd. Just fine." Kratos said, looking away. However inside his head...

'_Martel, if you are hearing this, do not let this other figure be a second son of mine. I can handle one Lloyd, I don't need another!'_

* * *

Okay, now I'm done. Read and review, people!


	14. Chapter 14

Okay then, let's get it over with, folks. Yeah, I was gone for a while, but I have two good excuses. The first one, I finally have a job. It's a part time one, but still a job, so I'm making money! Yay!

The other reason is that I have found the wonders and the fun of the world…of warcraft. My brother introduced me to it, and I've found it most useful for wasting time. Time that should probably be spent working on this story.

But, putting my life aside, let's get to the story. Last we left off, Kratos had revealed the history behind the blade Neil had seen, named Amatsu-mikaboshi. A guard rushed in at the end of the story, telling them that Magnius was now marching on Palmacosta.

Oh, and one last thing. This chapter is the longest I've ever written, so I hope you have plenty of time to read it!

And now, on with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

_Last time, on Second Chance:_

"_Sir! Bad news! Really bad!" the guard said, running straight to Neil, who was busy organizing the papers that hadn't been destroyed._

"_What is it? What's happened?" Neil asked, setting the papers he had in his hand on the table._

"_It's Magnius sir! He's moving towards Palmacosta sir! He managed to break through the front lines!" the soldier replied shakily._

_Lloyd scowled at this. 'Great. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'_

* * *

_And now, the story begins…_

All was quiet on the path to Palmacosta. The wind blew gently, the clouds rolled by, the sun shone. All was peaceful. Then slowly, but with steadily growing volume, a sound could be heard. Looking far away, one would think they were seeing the horizon moving towards them. But, if one looked closer, one could see it was a mass of many people, clothed in purple and red. They marched in formation, no one breaking out of it for even a second. At the head of the massive populous, walked two figures. On the left walked a man wearing only a vest to cover his chest. He walked armed with a massive axe and shield, both currently attached to his back for him to carry. He wore his blood red hair in a ponytail, in the form of dreadlocks. He led the red-clad Desians, and was named Magnius.

To the right, another man was seen, this one fully clothed. He wore a blue shirt, with what seemed to be shoulder pads atop it. He wore dark pants, as well as dark gloves on his hands. His hair was a pale blonde, and his eyes seemingly shut tight, in the form of mere slits. Yet, he carried an aura of maliciousness about him, making the warriors around him subconsciously shake. He wielded a staff, which was attached to his back in the same manner as Magnius. Three machines floated in a circular pattern above him. His name was Kvar.

"So, explain to me again why it is that I joined forces with you, Magnius?" Kvar sneered, showing obvious disrespect to him. Magnius only smirked and ignored the insult.

"As you know, we've been having trouble with Palmacosta. They've been building an army to combat my own forces. While it is an obviously pathetic army made up by those vermin, I wanted to be certain to eliminate them. They could cause us problems in the future if left unheeded." He explained, grinning at the genius of his plan. He had neglected to inform Kvar that the Chosen had arrived in the town, after being informed by one of his patrols stationed in the city. He had also neglected to inform him of the fact that the army had already caused him trouble, taking out various scouting parties sent by him to monitor the city. But he knew these facts would not affect their chances at victory.

"Right, of course. I suppose I could assist you, seeing as how you provided me with enough subjects to experiment with." Kvar said, grinning evilly at the thought of his "experiments". Ever since the Angelus project had been stolen, Kvar had been desperate to try and replicate the results of it. However, he has so far had no success. As such, he would request Magnius to send him prisoners on occasion so as to have enough subjects to test with. "Of course you need my help, you barbaric imbecile. You and your ragtag soldiers would be helpless unless you had some brains to back up that brawn." He commented, mocking Magnius' army.

A tick mark formed on Magnius' head as he angrily responded. "Oh, be quiet, Kvar! For all we know, that could be all you have going for you: all brain and no muscle. How do we know that it isn't your army that's weak?" He was angry that Kvar would show such blatant disrespect to him in his face. '_Oh, how I wish I could wipe that smug smirk off his face. He's almost as bad as these pathetic vermin I have to put up with!' _He thought nastily. Both armies knew there was no love lost between these two Cardinals, and they shouldn't expect anything less. Already, they had started rubbing off on their own armies, causing them to resent each other.

Kvar quickly came up with a retort. "I assure you, Magnius, we can hold our own if needed. This pathetic army of Palmacosta will be child's play for us." They quickly refocused on the road, having exchanged enough words for now. But both were caught up in their own thoughts as they walked.

_'Magnius, you are a fool. Your power is far beneath mine, and I know it. And there will certainly come a day when I will prove it!' _Kvar thought, smiling to himself. As for Magnius…well…let's just say his thoughts, while more primitive than Kvar's, basically were the same, albeit more violent.

**Meanwhile, back in Palmacosta…**

After receiving that one bit of news from the guard, Neil immediately acted, calling forth the army that Palmacosta was well known for. He asked Lloyd and the others to assist in gathering them, since they'd be spread out throughout the city at the moment. Within 20 minutes they had managed to collect them all, with Colette and Kratos drawing the most. Colette, because she's the chosen, and Kratos because…well…he was using his bad-assness to get them to obey him.

They were gathered in the center of the city in front of the cathedral, where Neil and the group had chosen to stand so as to speak to them. Neil looked on the army with frustration.

"This isn't good," He remarked, drawing Lloyd's attention, "the army's afraid. Rumors have been spreading among them about Magnius, and they've grown fearful."

"Haven't they seen actual combat before?" Lloyd asked, learning about the army for the first time ever. Before, he merely knew the army existed.

"No. We've only done sparring with each other as well as basic technique work and stances. Hardly anyone here has actually seen live combat, if any at all." Neil replied. _'What were we thinking? We can't take on an army the size of Magnius's.'_

Kratos observed the look on Neil's face, and remembered his time during the Kharlan War. One couldn't show fear in the midst of battle, especially if one was supposed to lead. It only spread among the rest of the soldiers. "Neil." Kratos said, making Neil snap out of his thoughts to look at Kratos. "If you want to control this army, you must first control yourself. By showing fear, your soldiers become afraid."

"But how can I not show fear? We're dealing with a massive army here." Neil answered.

Lloyd decided that enough was enough. He walked to the staircase where he could see the rest of the army. They were indeed afraid, with some shaking in their spots as they spoke to one another. "Hey! Listen!" Lloyd said, trying to get their attention. But no one heard him, amongst their own talk.

"I said hey!" Lloyd yelled louder, causing a few soldiers to glance at him, but soon enough they turned back. Lloyd then used his famous temper.

"I SAID SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" Lloyd exclaimed aloud, instantly causing everyone to stop talking and look at the source of the noise. Lloyd stopped for a moment to make sure that he had their attention.

"Listen carefully, all of you. Yes, I know that you are afraid. You're afraid that this might be the end, that you will never see another sunrise because of this coming battle." Lloyd stepped slowly down the stairs as he continued.

"However, you must get past that fear. I'm not going to lie to you by saying that I'm not frightened. I am as well as you are. That army is a powerful one to face, and we haven't many to fight with. However, I'm not going to let that stop me." Lloyd's eyes hardened as he looked at the front most soldiers in their eyes, and they looked on in wonder as they saw wisdom and strength reflected in his own.

"I intend to fight with all I can, down to my last breath. To ask anything less of me would be dishonorable to me and my own honor. Yet, some of you still say that we should turn tail and run, do you not?" Lloyd looked around, and he listened as he saw one soldier remark to another, "Why shouldn't we run? There's no chance to win, not even if the Chosen One were here." He stopped speaking when he realized that Lloyd was right in front of him, his eyes ablaze in fury.

"Is that so? We should run merely because you think we haven't a chance. What a coward you are. You signed up for this army so as to protect your family, yes?" the soldier nodded. "Tell me, can you protect them by running away?" He shook his head. "I want to hear you say it."

The soldier cleared his throat before replying, "No."

"That's right, no. Yet you still want to run. Even if the Chosen One is right behind me, here with us?" Lloyd said among several gasps. Lloyd nodded and walked back to the staircase, beckoning Colette to step forward. "Here she is, the Chosen One. The same Chosen that's supposed to be saving the world right now, who isn't supposed to be concerned with things like battles between cities and desians. Yet here she is, ready to fight alongside you. Will you run now? Or will you be a man and protect your life, your home?" Lloyd ended finally. Colette then began to speak.

"While it is true that I am the Chosen One as Lloyd said, I'm not going to ignore this. If I am supposed to save the world from Desians, then how can I flee from this? I was sent to protect everyone, and that is what I am going to do. I can't make you join me, but I can ask you to. So, will you?" Colette finished. By now, the army was no longer afraid and ready to fight. They had the Chosen on their side, and they would fight beside her to the end.

"Well done, Lloyd. Neil, I believe you have an army to lead?" Kratos said, turning to Neil. Neil nodded and replied, "I sure do."

But before anyone could move, one of the watchmen ran to Neil and asked if he could have a moment. "What is it?" Neil asked, being shadowed by Lloyd and Kratos.

"Sir we have a new report you need to hear. Apparently, the army headed our way is comprised to two armies. One half belongs to Magnius, while the other half belongs to another man. We do not know his name, but he wore blue clothing, and had three machines floating around him. He was leading the purple clad warriors while Magnius lead the red clad ones. What do you think sir?"

Neil was about to reply when Kratos stepped forward. "You said that the leader in blue was leading one half of the army, correct?" The watchman nodded. "This is good news. That would be Kvar from the Asgard region. Looks like Magnius required assistance."

"How is this good news?" Lloyd asked.

"Simple. While the grand cardinals all have the same rank, it is known that they secretly despise each other, and it is in that fact that lays our chance at a victory." Kratos said, turning to Lloyd.

"Wait. Are you saying what I think your saying?" Lloyd said quickly, realizing his father's idea.

"Yes. If we are going to win this battle, we must turn their armies against each other, and I know just how to do that." Kratos said, smirking an evil smirk that was quickly shared by Lloyd.

* * *

When Kratos shared his plan with the rest of the group and Neil, they agreed with it as well. With that said and done, the army marched out towards the field outside of Palmacosta, where the battle would take place. Raine and Colette would be staying behind as support for the city, with Raine leading the medical corp., and Colette as moral support for the civilians inside the city.

As they marched, Lloyd bore a stoic expression among the soldiers. Inside his mind, he thought quickly of how bad this situation could go. He knew that he must be strong in order to get past this challenge. His attention was drawn however, to Genis who was right beside him. "Genis, are you all right?"

"To be honest Lloyd, I'm afraid. I'm not at all brave like you are. I shouldn't even be out here right n-" Genis was cut off by Lloyd's hand on his shoulder.

"On the contrary, you are quite brave. You crossed the desert with me to find Colette, lead a rescue attempt to save me at a Desian base, fought against the guardian of Fire, and you survived it all. If that's not brave, I don't know what is." Lloyd said.

"Thanks, Lloyd. I feel better now." Genis said, grinning.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm a little scared too." Lloyd said, grinning as well. He then noticed that they had stopped marching, and looked forward to see a path cleared for him. A soldier whispered to him, "Neil wishes you to accompany him and Kratos to meet the leaders before the battle." Lloyd nodded his head and quickly ran to catch up with Kratos and Neil. Once he did, he slowed his pace to match theirs, and followed them to meet Kvar and Magnius.

"Now remember the plan, Lloyd. We must turn them against each other, for it's the only way to win this. Understand?" Kratos whispered.

"Got it. Piss them off so much, they turn on each other and hope the armies follow their example." Lloyd said, smiling at the thought of it.

Finally, they met on the field, with Magnius and Kvar on one side, and Lloyd, Kratos, and Neil on the other. Both sides stopped walking and immediately settled for a stare down, each sizing the person opposite them. Well, except for Neil. He didn't have anyone to stare at, so he pretty much settled for trying to look tough, even though it didn't really work.

"So, these are to be the leaders of the rebel army? Truly pathetic, from my view. What say you, Magnius?" Kvar commented. Magnius laughed and replied, "Indeed. These vermin will be squashed like bugs beneath our might."

Lloyd and Kratos merely stared back while Lloyd merely said, "Hmm? Did you say something?" Both Magnius and Kvar formed a tick mark on their heads and Magnius yelled, "Why, you little vermin! Who do you think you're talking to?!"

Lloyd merely turned to Kratos and said, "Kratos, do you hear something? All I hear is this loud, barking noise, like from a stupid, red mutt." Magnius had another tick mark form on his head as Kratos replied, "No, I was busy trying to figure out if Kvar has eyebrows or merely a crayon mark on his forehead." Now Kvar formed another tick mark on his forehead.

"Say, why don't we switch places and see what we think?" Lloyd suggested. Promptly, they switched places and observed their new face, much to the Cardinal's frustration.

"You know, I'm curious. How the hell can you see, Kvar? You have no eyes, only more crayon marks. Were you horribly disfigured in an accident or something?" Lloyd said, which actually made Magnius snort in humor.

"Magnius, you aren't much better off. To be completely honest, I'd fire whoever gave you that hairstyle. It looks like the back of your head exploded and you froze it in mid-explosion. This probably explains why you're so retarded and can't come up with any other adjective for people aside from vermin. Go ahead, try to say another one." Kratos said. Magnius's mouth twitched as he kept trying to form an audible sound, but couldn't speak. "Just as I thought. You poor, poor, demented fool." Now it was Kvar's turn to laugh, settling for an evil chuckle.

Magnius decided enough was enough. "Alright, you've had your fun. Prepare to be annihilated, vermin!" He and Kvar walked off, both equally pissed off now. However, they stopped when Lloyd cleared his throat. "You both know we were only repeating what you've said about each other, right?" They both turned to look at each other for a moment before growling and splitting off to their own divisions.

Lloyd laughed as he walked back to the army with Kratos, while Neil merely looked on as he followed. He nearly face-faulted when he heard one of the soldiers who had overheard everything whisper, "Either that kid's the dumbest person I've seen, or he's got balls of steel." The other guy merely nodded his head in agreement.

Back in line, Lloyd told Genis what had transpired, and he laughed as well when told of their reactions. They then looked out onto the field and across it where the opposing army stood ready. It appeared that Magnius and Kvar had decided to start a war chant among their soldiers, causing a loud, unintelligible noise to filter throughout the air. Lloyd then seemed to notice something, which made him scratch his head in confusion. Genis, noticing this, turned and asked what the matter was.

"Well, it's really just a feeling of deja'vu. I can't really explain it." Lloyd said.

Genis only blinked and said, "Like, in what way, Lloyd?"

"Well, it's as if a long time ago, there was a battle similar to this, except a lot different. Instead of being fought by humans like us, it was between humans and really ugly humanoid things. And on the human side, there was an elf and a dwarf standing here, and the dwarf said that he couldn't see over the people and the wall of the fortress where they were. Then, the elf said he could either get him a box, or describe it to him. And the dwarf laughed, because it was a joke about his height. It's as if I'm the elf and you're the dwarf, and we're repeating it." Lloyd explained, unaware of Genis's humongous sweatdrop on the back of his head.

"Well, it is true that I can't see that well here." Genis finally said.

"Well, I could-" Lloyd started, but was cut-off by Genis.

"It's not that easy to make fun of me, Lloyd, so don't bother." Genis deadpanned. Lloyd snapped his fingers and resumed looking at the field.

(For the love of god, please let someone have understood what just happened. If you do, free cookie for your review for figuring it out!)

Finally, the opposing army charged forward, drawing swords and rushing towards the army. In response, the Palmacosta army began to charge as well, ready to fight for life or death. "And so it begins…" Lloyd said, drawing his swords and charging alongside Kratos.

* * *

**In Palmacosta**

Colette was praying in the church when she heard the loud yells of the battle starting. She began to pray harder, hoping for Martel to protect her friends.

Raine also looked up from the medic tent where she was stationed, and gave only one thought to it. '_Don't you dare die on me, Genis, and Lloyd. Otherwise, I'll give you more homework than you could ever imagine!' _With that thought, she went back to work, resuming the preparations for what was to come.

* * *

**At the battlefield**

There was only the loud thud of the footsteps approaching before the battle began. From above, one could see, two large clouds of people charging each other, heading for a collision. Each side rushed the other, with many individuals wondering if they would survive the coming onslaught. No one knew if they would, nor if they wouldn't. All they could do was fight for their life and hope to live.

Finally, the armies met, and the fight began.

The clash of swords and metal became the common sound throughout the air, accompanied by yells and grunts of pain. Blood began to be spilt, showering the once emerald green grass with the red fluid of life. Lloyd and Kratos fought their own battles, taking on soldier after soldier after soldier, and only being able to breath for a moment before another wave would come.

All around them, soldiers fell, both Desians and Palmacostians. Lloyd found himself strangely used to the bloodshed around him, which made him wonder just how much of his innocence was left. He stabbed one soldier through the stomach, and sliced through another one's throat. He defended against one's assault, only to use it to his advantage by making him fall towards him and running him through with his blade before continuing.

Kratos was also swarmed with soldiers, being labeled as one of the leaders of the opposing army. As such, he was targeted by many soldiers caught up in dreams of glory, only to be cut down swiftly by his incredible skill. Kratos had already settled into his war mode, forgoing all emotion save for anger and concern for his fellow warriors. Aside from that, he felt nothing save for the air of the blades as he avoided them, before cutting away the arm that wielded them, with its owner falling shortly after it.

Sheena worked swiftly, using her pyre seals to drive back large groups that tried to swarm her group. She thanked herself for preparing ahead of time by bringing more cards with her than what she originally planned. As she fought, her thoughts went to Lloyd, and she hoped for his safety as well as the others. She didn't understand why she was so concerned for him, she knew him to be a strong warrior. Yet, as the numbers poured on, she couldn't help but feel concern for him. '_Lloyd, please be safe…'_ She thought as she continued to fight on.

Genis threw spell after spell into the ever-present army before him, much to the surprise of the soldiers around him. Not many expected the young child to be so strong in the heat of battle, rather expecting to see him hide frightfully behind them as he threw only few spells. Instead, here stood a courageous fighter, willing to fight alongside them, to put his life at risk. As for Genis himself, he wondered just how he could go from being an educated student to fighting a huge army alongside the few friends he had. He was grateful to have them, and would do everything in his power to prevent them from receiving harm.

About 20 minutes into the fighting, casualties began to pile up, filled with bodies that were hewn into unrecognizable forms, due to the battle that now filled the air. It became soon obvious that the outcome of this battle would be laced with sorrow among the victory. Lloyd and Genis soon found themselves back to back, each having 10 soldiers to face. Lloyd and Genis looked back at each other at the same time, and nodded. Genis began to cast his strongest Earth spell, Stalagmite, as Lloyd prepped his Demonic Circle. Their opponents charged forward, unaware of the plan until it was too late.

"STALAGMITE!" Genis yelled, the runes surrounding him glowing as a large chunk of the earth in front of him shot up, throwing a few of the first to attack him high into the air and coming down with a loud SMACK and not getting up. One of the desians who hadn't been caught laughed and said, "Ha! You missed!" Genis only smirked as the Desian took notice of the fact that the Stalagmite was still present instead of sinking into the ground. "Now, Lloyd!" Genis yelled before ducking.

"Okay! DEMONIC CIRCLE!" Lloyd shouted as he drew his blades swiftly around him and slammed it down, swiftly ducking as soon as he finished. The energy released from the attack, instead of spreading out, channeled into the stalagmite, causing it to swiftly crack before exploding, releasing large chunks of earth which had become dangerous projectiles. They fired in all directions, eliminating the remaining soldiers that had tried to attack them. Lloyd stood up once the attack was over and gave a thumbs-up to Genis, who smiled as well. Then, Genis noticed Sheena, who currently had to hold back a larger group than before, made up of pieces of the groups she had already repelled back. "Lloyd, we have to help Sheena!" Genis said, causing Lloyd to quickly whip his head in Sheena's direction.

"But how do we get over there? We can't rush to her, we'd get killed!" Lloyd said, trying to think of how to quickly assist Sheena. Genis did some quick calculations in his head before looking to Lloyd and saying, "You're gonna have to throw me."

(Cue the record scratch noise)

"You want me to what?" Lloyd asked. Of all the things he expected him to say, that wasn't one of them.

"I'm light enough, there's a good wind blowing, and she's close enough. Trust me; I know what I'm doing." Genis said, determination shining in his eyes. Lloyd nodded his head before grabbing the back of Genis's shirt and hoisting him up into a throwing position.

"Oh, one thing before you throw me, Lloyd." Genis said. "What's that, Genis?" Lloyd asked.

"Please, just don't tell Raine. She'd never let me live it down." Genis said. Lloyd nodded before taking a few steps back to get a running start, and charging forward to throw Genis. '_Whoa, Deja'vu again. What the hell is with me today?' _Lloyd thought before throwing Genis to Sheena's area, which worked better than planned. It was truly a sight to see, to see a half-elf flying through the air and actually landing gracefully. Soon enough, Sheena and Genis managed to defeat the group and repel them away. Lloyd quickly resumed his work at cutting through the Desians, choosing now to seek out Kratos.

He soon found him, surrounded by the corpses of at least 20 desians. Apparently, they tried to attack him all at once, thinking overwhelming numbers would prevail. They've obviously never met Kratos. "Kratos, you alright?" Lloyd asked, rushing to his father's side. Kratos nodded as he sliced through another Desian, choosing to simply decapitate him to save him time. "Yes, I'm fine. Though, I'm curious as to where Magnius and Kvar are. We've been fighting for some time now; we should've come across them by now." Kratos said, searching around for the mentioned Grand Cardinals.

"Then look no further, Vermin!" a voice rang out, and both Lloyd and Kratos turned to see Magnius and Kvar approaching them, each wielding their own weapons. Magnius was ready to fight, eager to get back at Lloyd and Kratos for their comments. Kvar was ready to fight as well, though he was now seriously considering defeating Magnius as well. The buffoon's soldiers had destroyed his machines accidentally, causing him to actually have to defend himself from foolish attackers. The nerve of that fool, bringing in such barbaric warriors who can't even think for themselves!

"Lloyd, you take Magnius, you can handle him in speed. I'll take Kvar." Kratos whispered, pulling out his blade into a ready stance.

"You sure?" Lloyd asked, before looking to see the cold determination in his father's eyes. He knew what it was for, and to stay out of his way. "Okay, if you say so." Lloyd readied his own blades as he stepped to the side away from Kratos, so as to give him room to fight.

"Thank you, Lloyd. Let's just say me and him have an old score to settle." Kratos said. The two waited as the Cardinals approached, who realized they each wanted to fight alone. Adorning an evil smirk, Magnius immediately moved to position himself to face Lloyd, while Kvar faced Kratos. A space seemingly cleared for the fight about to take place, with desians forming a ring around the battlers to prevent others from helping them.

"Well then, shall we begin vermin?" Magnius said, before charging forward with surprising speed. Lloyd predicted his movements, and quickly dodged the swing of his axe before counterattacking, which was blocked by Magnius's shield. They soon became focused only on their battle, drowning out the battling soldiers around them.

"He always did like to jump the gun, Magnius did. What a fool. He is no match for my strength, and neither are you, Kratos." Kvar commented. Kratos bristled with anger, bringing up memories of the past which fed his anger at the man before him. "You will pay for what you did to my wife, Kvar. I promise you that." Kratos said.

"Oh? What I did to that pathetic human is nothing compared to what I plan to do to you." Kvar enjoyed the fact he was making Kratos tremble, though he presumed it to be fear rather than anger. "That waste of space you called a wife was pathetic and certainly unworthy of what I had planned for-" he was cut off as he barely dodged the blow aimed for his head from Kratos's sword. He leapt back and prepared his staff for battle, charging it with electricity for an extra punch. But when he looked up from his staff, he sensed a large amount of mana gathering within Kratos and felt a little fear at its level.

"Never speak ill of the dead in front of me, Kvar. Especially when it's my WIFE!" Kratos roared before assaulting him, causing Kvar to go on the defensive immediately.

Back to Magnius and Lloyd, Lloyd currently had the upper hand in speed, managing to always defend his attacks, much to Magnius's frustration. "Hold still, would you?!" Magnius yelled as he swung his axe again, only to miss barely as Lloyd leapt back. "Nah, I'd rather keep my body intact, thanks." Lloyd then decided to initiate the plan, and said, "Hey Magnius! Want to hear what I heard about you from Kvar's soldiers?" Magnius looked at him in curiosity, wondering what tactic he was trying to pull now. "What do you mean vermin?" he asked as he continued to attack.

"I mean, what the soldiers have been saying about you. Such as when you sleep at night, you sleep with curlers in your hair to keep those dreadlocks, and that you often have a little, shall I say, 'bed-wetting' problem when you sleep?" Lloyd answered, dodging one stroke of the axe aimed for his chest and counter-attacking, managing to score a thin slice along Magnius's arm.

Magnius grunted in pain as he drew back and deflected his attacker's next assault with his shield. '_WHAT! How dare that bastard speak of me in such a way! And how did he learn about my curlers?!' _he thought, with ever growing ferocity towards Kvar.

Back to Kvar, Kratos's attacks were beginning to take its toll on Kvar, his arms getting sore from his grip on his staff as he constantly defended himself from Kratos. He finally managed to put some distance between them by shoving Kratos away with his staff, making Kratos flip back to stay balanced. '_Such ferocity from him. He's not one of the strongest warriors for nothing.' _Kvar thought, but his train of thought left him when he saw Kratos laughing for some reason. "And what, may I ask, is so funny?" Kvar questioned.

"Oh it's nothing. I just remembered some of the things that Magnius's soldiers say they heard about you from Magnius himself. Like how you have no women within your ranch?" Kratos replied.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kvar said, confused by his words.

"Simple. That you're a fruitcake, according to Magnius. And thinking about it now, I have to say you fit the description quite well. I pity your soldiers." Kratos laughed, hoping to send Kvar into a fury. '_Three, two, one…_' Kratos waited for the explosion.

"How dare he say that about me?!" Kvar yelled angrily, turning to look at Magnius. He almost forgot he was fighting Kratos until he heard the swishing of his sword coming down on him. He quickly blocked with his staff again, sending new spasms of pain through his arms. "Don't forget you're fighting me now, 'fruity'!" Kratos nearly laughed, it was so much fun. He hadn't had fun like this in about 200 years, ever since he once saw Yggdrasill discover an ancient form of dance called "Disco" or something to that effect.

For Kvar, this was the last straw. He leapt back from Kratos and turned to Magnius. "Magnius, you imbecile! You dare to make such statements about me!" He yelled, while Kratos only watched at the ready in case he tried something.

"You're one to talk, Kvar! Spreading rumors about me and my personal life! I should kill you here and now!" Magnius responded, choosing to turn away from Lloyd, who was snickering at the scene. Getting a nod from Kratos, he initiated the final phase of the plan. "That's right, Magnius. He was the one who revealed you're darkest secret!" Lloyd said, making Magnius turn with a horrid look on his face. "No, he didn't! He wouldn't!"

"The fact that you, Magnius, only wield that large axe as a means of compensation, for a certain, shall we say, 'buddy' of yours? He totally blabbed that to his soldiers." Lloyd said, making all nearby soldiers of Magnius suddenly stop for a second before falling to the ground laughing. They were soon killed shortly after.

"WHHAAAAAT! I'll kill him!" Magnius yelled, charging Kvar. Kvar's eyes widened at the sight of Magnius charging him. "Well, Kvar? Are you going to defend yourself? Or are you going to let him prove you really are a fruitcake after all?" Kratos said, knowing it would spur him to action.

"I'll grind that miserable excuse for a cardinal into the ground!" Kvar roared as he charged as well. Lloyd and Kratos stood back as they watched the two leaders combat each other, making their soldiers stop what they were doing and watch. One soldier of Magnius's, deciding to just go to hell with it all, turned and stabbed one of Kvar's soldiers. This set off the rest of the soldiers, causing them to stop fighting Palmacosta's forces and began fighting amongst themselves. The Palmacosta army just stood their and watched as their enemies fought amongst themselves. They turned to each other and shrugged their shoulders before charging again, taking down as many soldiers as they could who were caught up in the frenzy.

"It's working! Our plan is working, Kratos!" Lloyd exclaimed, not believing what was happening. Kratos simply nodded as he watched. "Indeed. It worked better than I had planned. Lloyd, go support the others. I'll hold off the forces here." Kratos said as he redrew his sword.

"Got it. Don't die on me, Kratos!" Lloyd exclaimed as he started fighting his way towards Sheena and Genis, who were looking quite tired. Kratos nodded as he fought on before pausing for a second. '_Wait a minute. That's my line! Dammit, Lloyd!'_ Kratos thought before resuming.

Back to Magnius and Kvar, the two were exchanging blows, each fueled by their own anger at the other's alleged words. "So, I'm a fruitcake, huh? You piece of garbage!" Kvar yelled as he struck Magnius with a bolt of lightning. Magnius quickly countered with a heavy strike where Kvar stood, sending him flying back. "You dared to reveal my personal secrets, Kvar? I'll make you pay for that, you…you…vermin!" They resumed fighting, with Magnius's axe clashing with Kvar's staff.

"Imbecile!" CLANG!

"Vermin!" SHING!

"Dumbass!" CLANG!

"Vermin!" They soon became dead locked, trying to overwhelm the other.

"Prissy boy!"

"Fruity!"

"Idiot!"

"Vermin!"

"Can't you say anything besides vermin, you ignoramus!"

"VERMIN! VERMIN, VERMIN, VERMIN!" Magnius finally overwhelmed Kvar on the last cry of vermin, sending him back. "Time to end this!" Magnius exclaimed, with runes forming around him. The spear began to fly towards Kvar, but Kvar saw what he was doing and rushed forward to stop him.

"Flame Lance!" Magnius exclaimed, but was thrown off target by Kvar rushing him and batting him with his staff, shocking him and throwing the spear off course.

Lloyd fought onwards through the crowd of soldiers, which was starting to diminish as the battle had now been raging for at least almost an hour now. He was beginning to feel how low his mana level was, meaning he would have to start conserving his energy. He suddenly heard the loud cry of Magnius's voice and turned to see the Flame Lance aimed towards him. He quickly ducked while the spell flew over him, warming him with it's presence as it flew into the soldiers he was fighting and kept going. He looked up to see the spell's path, and his heart nearly stopped.

The flame lance was heading straight for Sheena, who was unaware as her back was turned to it, fighting off soldiers who were trying to force themselves past them. He knew what would happen if that spell connected. He couldn't, no, wouldn't allow it to happen, no matter what! "SHEENA!" Lloyd cried as he suddenly rushed towards her, trying desperately to surpass the spell's speed, but barely unable to due to his fatigue. _'No, it can't happen. I won't let it happen! She will not die, no matter what the cost!' _Lloyd thought as he subconsciously pulled out his wings with a bright flash of light. With a new boost of speed from the wings, he rammed his way through the soldiers in his way and stopped in front of Sheena, who had seen the spear coming and froze out of fright. When the bright light from Lloyd's wings had shone, she had covered her eyes, raising her arms to defend herself.

Lloyd stopped in front of her and turned to face the spear. It was gaining power now, coming closer to the ground to finally stop. '_No way is that thing getting past me!_' Lloyd thought as he drew his blades and took a ready stance. '_I've only got one shot at this. Let's hope it works!'_

He waited until the Lance was nearly upon him, and then he attacked. "Fierce Demon Fang!" He struck the ground quickly and forcefully, launching a powerful wave of energy towards the lance. The two forces met and clashed, until finally the lance gave in and soared upwards, choosing to instead land in a dense crowd of soldiers, who were sent flying due to the extra force that had been put into the spear by the Fierce Demon Fang.

Lloyd panted as he suddenly went down on one knee, using one of his blades as support. He quickly realized his wings had appeared, and put them away quickly. He had put more force into the attack than needed, and was winded. "Lloyd, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Sheena said as she knelt next to him. Lloyd turned to look at her and replied, "That depends. Are you alright?" Sheena nodded quietly. "Good. Then I'm fine as well. Stay here with Genis, ok?" Sheena was about to object, but Lloyd held his hand up to stop her. "I'll be fine. I just needed to stop for a second." Sheena dug into one of her pockets and pulled out a mélange gel and handed it to him. "I don't care. You take this and you take it now, mister." Sheena said. Lloyd smiled and said, "Always this forceful, Sheena?" Sheena blushed at his smile and smacked him upside the head. "Just take care not to get injured, Lloyd. Okay?" She said, turning her head to hide the blush, which Lloyd happened to miss. "Got it."

Lloyd quickly drank the gel and felt it begin to work throughout his body. He stood up, feeling better than before. He turned in the direction where Magnius and Kvar were and his eyes quickly changed to a cold glare. He began to walk towards them, with soldiers wisely choosing to move out of his way. Some had witnessed how he diverted the spear, and that bright flash of light before that suggested he was far stronger than he appeared. They made sure to stay out of his way as he passed.

* * *

**With Kratos, a few moments before**

Kratos continuously hacked through the soldiers as they charged him. To be honest, he was getting bored with this. He was actually considering just using Judgment on them all and be done with them, but decided not to, if only because it would leave him with nothing to do.

It was totally the only reason.

No, really.

He had been fighting for a few minutes now when he saw the rouge Flame Lance fly towards Sheena and Genis, and was about to move when he felt it. That feeling that solely signifies the presence of an angel. His eyes moved and everything seemed to slow as he watched Lloyd dash to save Sheena, and then he saw them. He gasped and felt the grip on his sword slip severely as he saw two enormous wings appear on Lloyd's back, granting him the speed to reach Sheena. He also witnessed how he deflected the Flame Spear. His mind was sent reeling as he realized what this implied.

Lloyd was an angel, just like him. He had angel wings and likely Angelic powers as well. His son, the innocent child he had hoped to grant a normal life, by giving to Dirk, the dwarf. He was so shocked that he nearly forgot that he was still on the battlefield, and that there was a blade swinging for his head.

He quickly reacted, choosing to not only deflect the blade, but then choosing to cleanly split the man in two. He was filled with new energy, and a new desire. He was going to speak to his son about this, and no army of pathetic weaklings was going to get in his way. Kratos raised a glance at an incoming party of people, and they flinched at his look. It was the look, the look of a god of war…

* * *

**Back with Lloyd in present time**

Lloyd quickly found the two Grand Cardinals, who were both in a standoff after Magnius had launched the Flame Lance. Magnius was clutching at his side, caused by Kvar's electrical attacks. He had numbed out some of his muscles, causing him to have to hold off on his attacks until he recovered.

Kvar was in a better state, but only by a margin. After deflecting the Spear, he was left wide open to an assault by Magnius, which left him physically drained. He had managed to stop the assault by electrocuting Magnius, which led to the standoff they were in now. Suddenly sensing something amiss, he looked around and realized what was happening. Due to his and Magnius's actions, the armies had begun fighting each other, causing their numbers to plummet significantly. Now, most of the soldiers are either dead and have run off, signaling to Kvar that the battle was going to end soon, and not in a good way for him.

'_I need to get out of here. I am in no shape to take on the Chosen's group, let alone Kratos. This fool, Magnius, can stay if he wants to.'_ He thought quickly as he started trying to think of an escape plan. His thoughts were put to a stop by the appearance of Lloyd with a cold expression on his face.

Magnius turned to see what Kvar was looking at, and grinned. "Well, well. The vermin returns to die, eh? Certainly boy, you don't think you can take on a grand cardinal by yourself?"

Lloyd made no response, choosing to merely draw his blades slowly and point one of them at Magnius. His hair was drooping over his eyes, shadowing them from sight. Magnius took his silence as a means of ignoring him. "Oy! Didn't you hear me, vermin? I said-" He was cut off in mid sentence as Lloyd suddenly dashed past him, his sword held up in a high arc. He turned slowly to face Lloyd before screaming in pain as his arm detached itself from his body. Lloyd turned to face Magnius, his face contorted with anger. "You nearly killed someone dear to me, Magnius. And for that, you are going to pay!"

Magnius felt fright at these words, and tried to get up and run. But Lloyd stopped him before he could even start, rushing forward and plunging one of his swords into his backside, holding the other one at his throat. Magnius coughed up blood as he heard the final words he would ever hear. "Never mess with my precious people. Let your death be a final lesson to teach into that empty hole you call a brain." And with that, Lloyd slashed his throat, forever silencing Magnius. He withdrew his swords and shook the blood off them before turning to where Kvar was.

Kvar had watched in horror as Magnius was killed so easily in front of him. It was inconceivable, the power the boy was radiating. He knew then and there he would have to flee to live. He turned and started to run, but stopped as his path was blocked. His eyes widened as he saw Kratos stand before him, carrying an expression similar to Lloyd's. "No, not you! Not now!" Kvar gasped. Kratos only drew his sword in response, and charged him. Kvar tried to block with his staff, but Kratos had long chosen to stop holding back his power. He swiftly knocked the staff away, leaving Kvar defenseless.

"Feel the pain…" Kratos whispered, slashing Kvar once across the chest.

"Of those inferior beings…" he slashed again, this time forming an X with his other slash.

"As you burn in hell!" Kratos finished, running the point of his sword through the middle of the X, piercing Kvar's body and killing him. He fell to the ground, trying to form words, but failing to before he passed on to the next world.

The Desian forces were now either dead on the ground or had fled. The Palmacosta forces were quiet, until finally someone exclaimed, "WE'VE WON!" With that, the army gave a loud cheer, celebrating the long awaited victory they had once expected to be doom. Lloyd smiled wistfully as he watched them celebrate. "We did it. We actually won."

He turned to say something to Kratos, but was stopped by his expression. "Kratos? What is it?" Lloyd asked, confused by his expression. Kratos merely walked up to him and said quietly, "I saw it Lloyd. Your wings." Lloyd gasped as he heard those words, realizing he had finally been caught. "I'll talk to you about this later. Meet me in front of the church at Midnight tonight. I'll see you there." With that, Kratos walked off, leaving Lloyd gaping at what had just happened.

Kratos had seen his wings. He had screwed up big time, and this time, he may not be able to fix it. Lloyd quickly shook off his frightened appearance, seeing his friends approach him. He put on a smile and was about to greet them when he was suddenly tackled by both Sheena and Genis, both smiling to see their friend safe. They all laid there on the ground a moment before they burst into laughter. Lloyd put aside his thoughts on Kratos for now, instead choosing to focus on hiding his blush as he realized two certain things were poking into his back from Sheena's grip on him.

* * *

**One hour later, at the church of Palmacosta**

After the medic tent had finally completed their treatments of everyone, and the bodies of the dead taken care of, everyone, both civilian and of the army, gathered in the town's center in front of the church, where Neil was giving a speech congratulating the army for their efforts.

"…and of course, we must thank the Chosen One and her group. For without them, we may have faced a different outcome." Neil said, waving a hand to the group, to which the audience roared with applause. Genis, Lloyd, and Sheena chose to wave to the crowd, while Kratos merely smirked and took it all in. Most of the women in the crowd swooned when they saw how he radiated badassness from his body.

Colette's reaction was the funniest, however. She waved as well and was turning to say something to Lloyd when she suddenly slipped in her usual clumsy manner. She quickly rolled down the short staircase and stopped at the bottom, landing on her butt. "Colette, you ok?" Lloyd asked, concerned.

"Of course! I'm just fine! Remember, I've fallen and done worse, like that wall at Triet, remember?" Colette laughed, having swirl marks replace her eyes, causing everyone else to laugh as well. For the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening, they celebrated with food and drink, which had several amusing points in it, such as when Genis managed to find a beer and became promptly wasted. Or when Kratos kept having to run when several women kept chasing him, asking him to let them bear his children, to which Kratos's reply was to run faster. Lloyd enjoyed the good times, but kept in mind his appointment later on at Midnight.

* * *

**Later that evening**

Lloyd quietly snuck out of the hotel where they were staying and headed for the church. He had spent the last half-hour worried over the whole ordeal. He did not know what he would say to Kratos, how he would react, or anything at all. He decided to just wing it and go with the flow. He soon found the church, and saw Kratos standing there. He didn't have his sword with him for once, and was sitting on the steps.

Lloyd walked up and sat next to him, staying quiet and choosing to let Kratos start the conversation. Though, when he heard Kratos laugh, he thought he misheard him say something. "What is it?" Lloyd asked.

"Those women from the party. They just kept asking to have my kids. They were so persistent; it was as if I was running from all the Summon Spirits at once." Kratos replied, making Lloyd chuckle. It almost seemed as if they had come out here to merely reminisce, instead of such a serious discussion.

"Kratos, I…I have something to tell you. It involves my wings, but there's more to it than that." Lloyd said, choosing to take the initiative. Kratos nodded, letting him go on. "I know…that you're my father." Lloyd said, rushing the words so that he could just get it out of his system. Kratos seemed to nearly fall over at this, but held his composure. "Wh-what do you mean, Lloyd?"

"That's not all, Kratos. I also know you're 4,000 years old, that you're one of the four seraphim, and that you are working with Mithos Yggdrasill to help change the world." Lloyd said, doing his best to keep his calm.

Kratos sat there, stunned at this. He had to be imagining it, he just had to be! But, though it was slow to comprehend, he realized this was no dream, judging from Lloyd's expression, which had become as somber as he was a moment ago.

"But…how? When? Who-" Kratos tried to start, but couldn't from the shock of what his son revealed. He cleared his throat and calmed his mind. "Tell me everything. How you learned of my past, to how you got those wings. And I mean everything. Leave nothing out." Kratos said, standing up in front of Lloyd. Lloyd sighed and began to tell his long tale…

**15 minutes later**

"…which led up to here. Are you satisfied?" Lloyd said, finally finishing his tale. He had told Kratos everything, just as he had asked, and was slightly worried at how he maintained a normal expression the whole time. Lloyd just sat there and let Kratos think in silence.

"Why?" Kratos mumbled aloud. Lloyd leaned closer to hear him.

"Why didn't you tell me? When we first met, at the temple, why couldn't you have…?" Kratos trailed off; for once confused by all that he had been told.

"You know who I am, what I am, and what I was sent to do, from the very beginning. Why didn't you kill me?" Kratos finally asked. Lloyd sighed and did the most unexpected thing Kratos saw.

He stood up and bonked him on the head with a flat palm, and said, "For once, dad, you're the idiot."

Rubbing his head Kratos looked up and asked, "What?"

Lloyd looked at Kratos and replied, "I'll answer you with this question, Kratos. What would I have to gain from killing my own father? Nothing. I would gain nothing at all for killing you." Lloyd said, as he sat back down.

"But I was sent to lead the Chosen One to her doom. How can you possibly think to not kill me?" Kratos asked.

"Because for one thing, I would lose a valuable ally later on in the future if I killed you. An ally who I owe my life several times over. Then, I would lose my inspiration to become strong. I would stop trying to grow, because the one who had inspired me to grow had already been defeated by me. But most importantly, it's because you're my father. I could never kill a family member, let alone my father." Lloyd explained.

"But, Anna-" Kratos started, but stopped when Lloyd raised his hand. "The only reason you killed mom was because you had to, right? In order to protect me?" Kratos nodded. "Then you should come to terms with it already. I have, though it took me a while to. I realized that even though I should hate you for killing her, I don't because if you hadn't killed her in her monster form, I wouldn't be here today. Besides, you granted her mercy by doing that, so I'm certain she's at peace while you are here fretting over something she's already forgiven you for."

Kratos was quiet, with his mind reeling. His son was wise, very wise indeed. He had spoken nothing but the truth from his heart, and knew it to be what he really felt. In his heart for once, Kratos was happy. He was reunited with his son, who he thought was long lost.

"Tell me, Kratos. What will you do now? Will you still continue with Cruxis because you don't believe my tale, or will you join me?" Lloyd asked. Kratos sat there in silence, thinking it over. He was being given a possible second chance, a chance to redeem himself of all of his sins of the past. It would be foolish to not take it.

But what about Mithos? He had told Mithos he would help him with his goal, and had developed a strange loyalty to the man with a child's soul. He weighed them together, and finally came to a decision.

"The past me, probably would have stuck with Mithos at this point, Lloyd. He would have thought that you were lying, and left you here. However, that is not me. I am a new Kratos, the Kratos of now, and I choose to help you." Kratos finally said, smiling at Lloyd.

"Really? That's awesome! I'm so glad!" Lloyd laughed, making his father chuckle as well. "Of course, you're help is more valuable than you think. I have a plan, but I'm going to need your help." With that, Lloyd explained to Kratos his plan of action, and how he needs help getting the Eternal Sword. Kratos, convinced the plan was a good one, agreed to help him.

Standing up, Lloyd shook the soreness out of his joints for sitting so long. He turned around to say something to Kratos, but stopped when he saw he was standing up as well, holding his arms out. "What are you doing?" Lloyd asked.

"I can't ask for a hug from my son?" Kratos simply replied.

Lloyd stood there a moment before rushing forward into his embrace. Kratos hugged him tightly; glad to finally be reunited with is son. Lloyd embraced him as well, one of his goals he had set for himself this time around fulfilled. He stopped when he felt something wet on his head, and looked up to see a tear streak on Kratos's face.

"What? I'm glad to have my son back, that's all." Kratos said to the unasked question.

Lloyd laughed and said, "You should show more emotion more often, you know that?"

Kratos replied as he walked to the inn, "Are you crazy? And lose the image I've kept up? You really are an idiot, Lloyd."

"Hey! That's not my fault! You probably dropped me when I was younger didn't you?" Lloyd yelled.

"Nope. That's completely your fault." Kratos replied, to which they both laughed and walked off to the inn, both feeling true contentment for once.

* * *

Raenef: (Holding his hands in ice water) Oww…so…much…typing… But hey! At least it's done! Thanks for waiting so long! Okay, a couple of announcements for you all. The next chapter will be starting out on another fic, called ToS SC Book 2: Demon's Rise. I'm doing this because it feels like I'll have more room after this chapter.

Also, there will be a time skip in the next chapter. It's not a big one, not at all. I'm only doing this so as to move the story along. All good stories on Tales of Symphonia can run into trouble if they take too long to move along the plot, so I'm avoiding that problem.

Please read and review! And thanks again for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

(In a dark setting, with few details save for the author's face)

Raenef: Well, hello there! How are you all? Tired? Hungry? Ready to read a new chapter that you've been waiting for for the past couple of months? I am too. Now, the only problem with that is… (Camera zooms away from face, revealing Raenef tied to a chair)…you won't let me go publish it! Come on, already! I have the chapter good to go!

(Camera pans to reveal two people holding Raenef hostage, standing in the shadows. One figure approaches, holding a baseball bat.)

Killerbunbun: "And why should we believe you? It might be another crappy author's note."

(Other figure steps out, holding a chain.)

Metamorcy: "Yeah. Now cough up the papers, or we'll get Tellemicus Sundance in here…and it won't be pretty."

Raenef: (tick mark appears on head) "Then tell me, oh friendly pals…would an author's note be 15 PAGES LONG?!"

(Metamorcy and Killerbunbun both pause. They turn to each other.)

Killerbunbun: He does have a point. Let's let him go.

Metamorcy: Right. (Unties Raenef) No hard feelings, right?

Raenef: (dusts himself off) "Remind me to be careful of Killerbunbun's chocolate cookies…" (Walks over to computer) There, it's uploaded. Enjoy!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

The reverie from the victory still showed as morning arose after a long night of enjoyment. Various food and drinking glasses and plates were strewn about the place, some piles formed in an attempt to keep clean. Those same piles later blew over, causing more of a mess for the frustrated cleaning crew of Palmacosta.

Fortunately, the chosen's group was safely inside a hotel, glad to be free of the worries concerning the Desians and Magnius for the moment being. As the sun rose, so did they awaken, each seeking breakfast that they were given for free for their efforts. However…their minds did not appear to be fully awake.

"Uhh?" Lloyd grunted, holding a plate out to the chef, who graciously gave him more eggs and sausage. "Uhh." Lloyd grunted again, now satisfied to have food again. He returned to the table where the others sat.

"Uhn." Genis grunted. (Translation: You have food?)

"Uhn." Lloyd replied. (Yep)

Colette and Sheena simply yawned between bites of their own food. Raine had her head lying down on the table, a hangover present from last night. She had feared she'd been deceived when the apple cider she was told to drink tasted like beer, but soon forgot it.

Kratos merely drank his coffee, thinking, "Martel forbid the Desians attack us right now. We couldn't even scream without yawning."

**Later that morning**

The group, now fully awake and coherent, waved a final goodbye to the people of Palmacosta. Soldiers saluted the group as they walked to the outer gate, with citizens crying as they left. (Mostly women who didn't get to capture Kratos).

Neil stood at the gate, waiting proudly for them to approach. A sword was strapped to his side, a symbol of his new authority. "I'm sad to see you go, Chosen One and Lloyd. But, your journey must be continued, so as to save the rest of the world from the Desian threat."

He handed to Lloyd a piece of paper, and continued. "That pass will grant you passage to Asgard, free of charge. It's the least we can do."

Lloyd pocketed the pass, and said "Thank you, Neil. Before we go, there should be a paper on your desk that I wrote for you. Please read it, as it is very important." Neil nodded in understanding. "Well then, until we see you again, Neil. Goodbye!" Lloyd gave a final wave as he walked off, the group following shortly after.

"Lloyd, what was on that paper you left for Neil?" Colette asked. It wasn't like Lloyd to have secrets.

"Nothing, Colette. Just something he needed to know was all. Now then, let's head for the Water Seal!" Lloyd threw his fist up as a cheer, bringing smiles to his friends.

**Back in Palmacosta**

Once the crowd had dismissed and the women had ceased weeping at the departure of the god known as Kratos, Neil decided to see what the paper Lloyd was referring to. Sure enough, on his new desk, laid an envelope signed simply, "Neil". He picked up the envelope and opened it, revealing a piece of paper and a key. Picking up the key, Neil recognized it as one that matched the keys to the dungeon below the office. He chose to read the letter.

_Neil,_

_By now we should have left Palmacosta, on our way to the next seal. There are a few things you need to be made aware of, that are important to Palmacosta and Dorr's last wishes. _'General-Dorr? How did Lloyd find his will?' Neil read on. _You're probably wondering how I know of these wishes. Well, when we were cleaning up the mess left by Dorr's attacker, I stumbled across his will. I've put it inside the envelope as well._

_First, and foremost, please insure that Kilia is safe. I was unaware of her presence during the fighting, and hope she is well. I know Dorr desired her to be the one to follow in his footsteps, and wished to guide her to that task if she wants to. Now it falls to you, I'm afraid. Don't worry though; I'm sure everything will work out fine._

_Next, I wish for you to design an escape/emergency plan for Palmacosta. I do not know if you have one or not, but I get the feeling you may need one in case the Desians return to attack again to avenge Magnius and Kvar. Have it to where the populace gets to a safe distance away from the city._

_Finally, Neil, surely you see that key that was in the envelope? Well, that key does go to the dungeons, and this is important, Neil. No one is to use that key, save for you in dire peril. Below in the dungeons, is Dorr's wife. She has been transformed into a monster by the Desians. You must not let her out, not until we return. We are going to find a cure for her, to serve Dorr's final wishes. _

_Please follow these suggestions as best you can._

_Sincerely, Lloyd._

Neil set the letter down on the table and opened the envelope again, revealing a key and another piece of paper. Reading over the paper, Neil confirmed it to be Dorr's will. He was surprised with how well Lloyd had remembered the details of the will, considering how long it was and how short of a time he would have had to read it. Putting it aside, he put thought to Lloyd's requests, especially the last one. Though not mentioned in the will, Neil suspected that Lloyd wasn't merely pulling his leg. He had suspected that Dorr's wife wasn't dead, especially with no recovery of the body at any time in the past.

"Looks like my works cut out for me. Good luck, Lloyd. I'll do what I can." Neil said quietly. He then walked out of his office and chose to go find Kilia. She had been left with caretakers before the battle had begun, and was rest assured safe. '_But why would he ask for such an evacuation plan? No Desians would travel so far as to try and attack us, considering the next Desian foothold is in Asgard. So why?' _Neil thought to himself as he walked.

"Halt! Walk no further!" A voice rang out, drawing the attention of the group. A moment ago at ease, their expressions turned serious and were ready to fight. Lloyd quickly searched obvious places for attacks to come from. The area was mostly open, with only a few cliffs near their position. Atop one of them stood a shadowy figure, which Lloyd focused his attention on.

Lloyd immediately had his hands on his blades, ready to draw them. '_Is it that man from before? Has he already found us?'_ Lloyd thought quickly.

"You fools! You dare to step into our territory? The voice continued.

"What do you mean, 'our territory'? Show yourself!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"Hahaha! Very well then!" The figure laughed, leaping down to them. He was quickly followed by three other figures, and they landed together.

"Haha! Bow before our presence, infidels! You stand before the Legendary Bandits, the Knife's Shadow!" the supposed leader exclaimed.

Total silence followed after the announcement. "…you're who?" Lloyd asked. He relaxed his posture, unable to discern an actual threat from the people before him.

"What do you mean, who? Have you never heard of the Knife's Shadow?" the figure questioned. He pointed at Lloyd as he spoke. Now that they were down here, Lloyd could get a better description of them.

The one who Lloyd assumed was their leader was dressed in cloth pants colored white, wit leather boots on. He wore a black long-sleeved undershirt, with brown leather pads covering his shoulders, as well as his elbows. He had a bow quiver on his back, held there by a strap that went across his left shoulder. The bow was also strapped there as well. His hair was colored black, in a sort of wild fashion that seemed impossible to fix. He wore black fingerless gloves, with one hand currently pointing at Lloyd.

To his left was another man, his facial features hidden behind a red cloth. He also had a white bandana covering his hair, making it harder to discern features. He wore black leather pants, with leather shoes as well. His shirt was made of simple leather as well. On his hip was one knife, kept in its sheath. Another was already in his right hand, ready to strike if needed.

On the man's right was a woman, holding a simple staff with a jewel adorning the top. She wore a simple black witch's hat, as well as a black cloak that was fluttering behind her in the wind. Her main clothing was simply a black shirt that extended to above her knees, with black boots covering her feet. But what really bothered Lloyd was that she was staring at Kratos with a weird look in her eyes. He did not recognize that look, but could tell it was familiar to the look from the girls at the party at Palmacosta…which could be bad later on.

"How can you call yourselves travelers and not know of the name 'The Knife's Shadow'?" he continued, tapping his foot and crossing his arms on his chest in impatience.

"Take it easy, Cliff. The one in red probably doesn't even know his own multiplication tables!" the faceless man said. Behind him, Lloyd heard Genis snicker, and his eyebrow twitched. '_Who needs to know their multiples? I never used them!' _Lloyd thought.

"I say we kidnap the blonde girl and the mercenary in purple. They're sure to pay a good price." The spellcaster said. 'And I get to bag a hottie! Double score!' she thought, a mini her jumping for joy in her mind.

And what makes you think we're so easy to defeat?" Lloyd asked, moving to stand in front of Colette. "After all, we are the Chosen One's entourage. We're stronger than we look."

Cliff's eyes shot open at this. "The Chosen One! Quick, Clyde, Clarisse! Group huddle!" Cliff and the other two quickly leapt back into a huddle. Lloyd and the group sweatdropped as they watched.

"Are they…being serious?" Sheena said, her eyebrow now twitching as well as Lloyd's.

"I think so…"Raine said; face palming herself at the situation.

"So, what do we do boss?" Clyde asked.

"Hmm…I'm not sure. The Chosen One's bound to have a bunch of loot on her. But it's the Chosen One…" Cliff replied, his eyes closed in thought.

"I don't know, Cliff. Maybe we should let them be? I certainly don't want the reputation of being the one's who stole from the Chosen One." Clarisse said.

"But we need the money! We can't pay for anymore stays at the house of Salvation! Not to mention we haven't got any food!" Clyde reasoned.

The group had put away their weapons, discerning that these oddballs weren't a threat to them. "Maybe we should just leave?" Lloyd whispered.

"Agreed. They seem to have forgotten we were here." Kratos replied. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we reach the seal." '_And the sooner I can get away from that creepy woman…'_Kratos thought warily.

"Alright! I've made my decision! Break!" Cliff said, and the trio resumed their stances from before, only they were missing one key part…

"Uh, Boss? Where'd they go?" Clyde asked, scanning the area in front of him in case he missed something.

"It would seem they have left us, Clyde. No doubt during our group huddle." Cliff answered.

**Meanwhile…**

"Well, it seems we lost them." Genis said, glancing behind the group. It had been about 10 minutes since the odd encounter with the bandits.

"Good. Those guys were a pain in the a-" Lloyd started to say, but stopped as he looked ahead of him.

"Haha! You thought it was that easy to escape us? Fool!" Cliff stood there arrogantly, with Clyde and Clarisse at his side.

Lloyd face-palmed and grumbled, "You had to jinx it, Genis, didn't you?" Genis only sweatdropped and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"That was very rude of you to just up and leave like that, boy! We have made our decision!" Cliff said.

Lloyd put his hand to his sword hilt. "Well, let's hear it then." He said with a serious tone.

Cliff replied, "We have decided that we shall ask you to lend us some money. 2500 gald should be enough. Quite a merciful decision on our part, considering the situation."

Lloyd's eyebrow twitched. "And if we refuse this…merciful decision of yours?" he asked.

"Simple. We beat you up and take all your money instead of some. We won't harm the Chosen, Martel forbid we do that. However, either way, you're forking over some money. So hand it over, and we'll be done here." Cliff replied. '_Alright, that should scare him well enough. We'll sleep well tonight.'_ He thought.

Lloyd sighed, not particularly impressed by the trio before him. He felt more fright from having to fight an angry Magnius. Even though he was pathetic and an idiot, but still, at least he was better than this. "Look, for one thing, we have you outnumbered 2 to 1. Second, we have no reason to give you money, though I do like that you were not willing to harm Colette. And three…well…you three are just plain idiots." Lloyd finished, holding up a finger with each point he made.

The bandits stood there, mouths agape at Lloyd's words. An imaginary arrow pierced each of them as Lloyd spoke.

"Now, if you don't mind, we'll be on our way. Let's go guys." Lloyd said, walking past Cliff, who seemed frozen in place. The rest of the group followed, impressed by Lloyd.

"Not bad, Lloyd. I expected you to lose your temper instead of using mere words." Sheena commented.

"Well, I figured it would be a better way to handle the situation is all." Lloyd said.

"Indeed, Lloyd. Showing such skill at disarming a situation like that? There may be hope for you yet." Raine added in.

"Hey!" Lloyd whined, and everyone laughed.

"OI! You can't just walk off like that! Come back here!" Cliff said, fury taking over.

"Cliff, no! He's right, we can't take them on!" Clyde said.

"It's too late. He's all worked up now." Clarisse sighed.

"I don't care who you are, you do not disrespect me like that! Who do you think you are, anyway? You're no man! You're a coward!" Cliff yelled at Lloyd's retreating back.

"In fact, I bet you don't have the balls to take me on! Better yet, you don't have nuts at all, do you? You puny little girl!" Cliff yelled childishly, believing he had won the upper hand.

The whole group stopped and watched as Lloyd stopped walking and held his head down, shadows covering his eyes. "Kratos, did he just insult what I think he insulted?" he asked quietly. (1)

"…yes?" Kratos replied, unsure of what his son was about to do.

"I see. Please hold these." Lloyd said, handing his swords to Kratos. Kratos looked surprised as Lloyd walked back to the doomed-I mean dumb-…oh whatever, those idiots back there.

"Colette, Genis, close your eyes, cover your ears, and look away." Raine said, turning them away from Lloyd's direction.

"Why?" Colette asked.

"Well, Colette, because I am your teacher and I say so. Now, do as I told you." Raine replied.

Colette and Genis turned away, and did as instructed. Cliff stepped back in fear, rage replaced with slight intimidation. "Ha! Just one? We can take him, right guys?" Cliff said nervously. Hearing no reply, he turned back to see they had vanished.

When Lloyd's hand grasped his shoulder, Cliff turned back and nearly pissed himself. Lloyd's eyes had become flames. The very sky had become darker. And as Lloyd drew his fist back, Cliff had only one thought. '_Martel have mercy!'_

**15 minutes later…**

Silence filled the clearing as Lloyd completed his beat down of Cliff. Sheena and Raine were hiding behind Kratos, their heads hidden in his cape. Kratos was merely watching, his training keeping him from reacting. Inside, he felt pride at Lloyd defending his manliness. It sorta ran in the family, as Yuan could attest to when he tried to insult Kratos's manliness in front of Anna. Oh, the pain he inflicted…

Far away, in one of his many offices, Yuan shivered.

Colette and Genis had done as they were told, and had not broken from it. However, it would seem Cliff's cries for mercy broke past their ear coverings, making Genis shake while Colette stood stock-still.

Lloyd straightened himself after delivering a final blow to the head. He hadn't used lethal force, but enough to get his point across.

As he walked back, he dusted his hands off, leaving Cliff behind on the ground. Cliff had several lumps on his head, and his body was quite well bruised. Clyde and Clarisse returned to his side to check on him.

"Think he's gonna be ok?" Clyde asked Clarisse.

"He should be fine, though he might have a concussion as well." She replied, checking his body for any further damage.

"But mommy, I wanna ride the magical Leopluradon to the moon!" Cliff mumbled, stars in his eyes as he was seemingly in another world. (2)

"Yep, definitely a concussion." Clarisse sighed.

Lloyd, meanwhile, had obtained his swords and was ready to leave. He noticed the whole group staring at him and asked, "What?"

"Nothing!" everyone yelped, looking in another direction aside from Lloyd's. Lloyd merely sweatdropped and shrugged his shoulders. "Then I guess let's go." He resumed walking.

Colette just so happened to look back and asked, "Oh my! What happened to him?" PFFT! Colette turned back to see Lloyd had face-faulted to the ground, as well as everyone else. "What did I say?"

"Colette…how did you not hear it? I could hear the whole thing clearly!" Genis asked.

"Well, when the Professor told me to turn around, I started thinking about puppies!" Colette answered cheerfully.

"…puppies?" Genis asked.

"Yep! All the different kinds I could think of! And then I started to name them!" She continued.

The group merely sighed, once again stumped by Colette's ditzyness and innocence. They resumed their trek, leaving the bandits in their wake.

* * *

**Thoda Docks**

Finally reaching their destination, the group breathed a sigh of relief after the earlier shenanigans. Kratos went inside to book their travel plans, while the rest enjoyed the fresh sea air.

"I've always liked the ocean. It's always relaxed me." Sheena commented, her feet dangling over the water as she sat by the docks.

"Yeah, it's a good feeling." Lloyd added, sitting next to her.

"The only problem we have now is getting Raine there." Genis said, observing as the Professor made sure to stay away from the docks, pretending to be focused on the wall of the house where they would book their rides.

"Hmm? Is she scared of water?" Sheena asked.

"Dead on. She won't go near beaches or oceans if she can prevent it. So how are we going to get her across this one?" Genis said, putting a hand to his chin as he thought.

"Lloyd suddenly looked up from the water and said, "I might have an idea. But I'll need to borrow something Genis."

"Hmm? Borrow what?" Genis asked.

"Come here and I'll explain." Lloyd said, and he Sheena, and Genis quickly huddled together, Lloyd whispering them a plan.

**A few minutes later**

"Alright. They said we can use the washtubs, but we can only have one in each tub. So who's going first?" Kratos asked.

"I guess I will. Unless anyone has any objections?" Lloyd said. Receiving none, he proceeded to put his bag within a washtub. He then jumped in as well.

"I'm afraid you are going to go without me." Raine said, looking a little pale as she stood on the deck, observing a washtub.

"Oh, why's that professor?" Colette asked. As she asked this, Sheena snuck behind her to Kratos and quickly whispered the plan. Kratos nodded and awaited the signal.

"Well, it's obviously not a safe vessel. I mean, you'd need more room and more balance to be safe in those things." She replied.

"Is that so, Professor? Even if I had this?" Lloyd said, opening his sack and pulling out an ancient looking crown.

Raine stopped moving and watched Lloyd carefully. "Where did you get that?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, I found it. I assume it's yours?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes, it is! That's the ancient Crown of the Earth! A priceless relic!" Raine said, her eyes glazing over as she traced in her memory.

"I see. But, I'm afraid I'll be taking this with me to the geyser. If you want it back, you'll have to go as well." Lloyd said, putting it inside the tub.

"Or I can take it now!" Raine exclaimed as she leapt forward. However, she found herself restrained by Kratos and Sheena, holding her midriff and legs respectively. "Let me go~ I must get back my precious artifact!" She struggled against them, trying to wiggle away.

"Go, Lloyd. We can't hold her for long!" Sheena said, her muscles straining to hold the professor back.

Lloyd quickly picked up a paddle and detached the rope that held the tub in place. He paddled swiftly, knowing it would take little time for the Professor to pursue him.

Lloyd had only gone a quarter of the way when he glanced back. Sheena had already been thrown off to the side, while Kratos held on, but his feet were skidding on the dock as Raine made her way to a tub. He picked up his pace.

"My artifact! Give it back!" Raine yelled, her archeological mania granting her unknown strength. Kratos finally gave up, realizing the futility of it all and let go.

Raine, now free of any obstructions, jumped into a tub and paddled furiously. She felt the tub only lurch for a second before rushing, not realizing she had forgotten to undo the rope and was now dragging a chunk of the dock with her.

"That woman is insane, I know it…" Kratos grumbled from the ground.

"She's not insane. She just likes her artifacts is all." Genis said, trying to save his sister's rapidly deteriorating reputation.

"Return it! Now, Lloyd! Or I'll punish you far worse than I ever did back in Iselia!" Raine yelled, gaining distance on Lloyd. He was over half-way there now, but she was catching up swiftly. He paddled even harder, his oar becoming a blur as he moved.

"Right…just likes artifacts…"Sheena said in a dry tone. Genis sweatdropped and face-palmed. "At least we're getting her there." He sighed.

Colette looked on as the chaos continued. "I hope she doesn't hurt Lloyd too much…"she said, worrying for her closest friend's health.

Lloyd finally reached the geyser's isle, his arms somewhat sore from his effort to escape Raine. He climbed out and moved onto solid ground, panting from the hard job. Looking back, he saw the tub, but without Raine in it. He looked up when he heard nearby onlookers yell.

"It's a bird!" one said.

"It's a dragon!" another yelled.

"It's…a person?" a third questioned.

"…RRRRUUUIINNSSS!" Raine's voice echoed as she fell from the sky, diving straight to Lloyd. Lloyd only stared, slack-jawed, as she came crashing down on him.

"Ooooh!" Several people cringed at the impact. Dust was blown up, covering the scene as the rest of the group showed up.

When they finally approached, the dust cleared, revealing Raine holding the crown triumphantly, while using Lloyd as a leg lift for a dramatic pose.

"Yes! My precious artifact is back, safe and sound!" Raine declared.

"Lloyd? You still alive?" Genis asked, poking him with a stick.

"Never try to steal artifacts from an archaeological maniac…"Lloyd grumbled from the ground.

"Now that I've got my artifact, time to get to the seal!" Raine said, pocketing the crown. She looked down at Lloyd. "What are you doing on the ground like that? We won't find the seal down there!" she chastised him, picking up his limp body.

"Come on now, I didn't hit you that hard!" Raine said, dusting off Lloyd's shoulders.

"You dive-bombed me from the sky!" Lloyd said as he stretched his weary body.

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Raine asked.

"Barely…" Lloyd muttered.

"What was that?" Raine asked, her eyes twinkling in maliciousness.

"Nothing! I'm good to go!" Lloyd said quickly. He didn't want to invite a second beating.

"Then off we go to the excavation!" Raine exclaimed. The rest of the group only sweatdropped at the Freudian slip.

'_At this rate, I'll be dead before we even reach the last Seal!'_ Lloyd thought desperately, a vision of pain at the hands of his professor flashing before his eyes.

* * *

(1). the insult to any male, testosterone carrying individual that will invite a beating of epic proportions. Guys will understand the insult, but girls if you don't consult you're nearest male friend.

(2). Inspired by the video Charlie the Unicorn. I kid you not, go to Youtube, type that in, and watch your I.Q points drop.

Alright then, the chapter's finally done! I blame World of Warcraft: The Wrath of The Lich King for my lateness. Remember kids, the responsibility of being an author and WoW do not mix well.

So we meet the bandit trio, a comical group of characters who I created after seeing Team Rocket from Pokemon. Don't worry, this isn't the least we'll see of the bandits, oh no. I have plans for those three. You'll just have to keep reading to see them.

Finally, my personal opinion of the chapter. I honestly didn't like it too much, one reason being it took so long to make it, and the other being that it's only a transition chapter. But the next one is the Water Seal, so it's sure to be more exciting.

(Turns to Killerbunbun and Metamorcy.) Can I go home now? I'm sleepy…

Killerbunbun: Hmm…nope! You're gonna get to work on that next chapter mister! Hop to it! (Pulls out a bullwhip, cracks it)

Raenef: Have mercy…

(Camera fades away as whip lashing sounds, accompanied by yelps from yours truly as he slaves away.)

Read and Review please!


	16. Chapter 16

So yeah…I'm slightly lazy. Sorry folks. However, I did go back and redo some chapters, so it's not a total waste of your time, right? (Sweatdrops as he sees various weapons being held up in anger) Or you could be angry…at least Metamorcy and Killerbunbun aren't here…

(Feels someone poke his shoulder. Turns around to see Morcy and Killer standing there with menacing grins)

Me: Oh come on…alright, here's the next chapter. (Throws script at the screen). Just don't hurt me! (Watches as mass of people swarm over the script).

Me: Huh…go figure. (Runs off)

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(Speech) Author speaking

"So this was a hot spring once?" Sheena asked, looking over the fence at the water that was the Thoda Geyser.

"Apparently, yes. Though it seems to have either gotten too hot to maintain, or something along those lines." Lloyd replied.

Before entering the Seal, Raine had decided to take a break and sightsee, telling the group to do the same. Kratos stood by Colette, always on guard for anything from swords to tomatoes.

Genis chose to entertain himself by using his magic to emphasize when water would shoot up, putting on a display for the small crowd of tourists.

As for Raine…she was still cradling her artifact, worrying over any damage it might have taken.

'_Some sight to see…a big spray of water every five minutes…' _Lloyd sweatdropped.

* * *

One well-known fact about the Water Seal: the place was wet. But that had an unfortunate side-effect; the ever agonizing power of humidity.

Once inside, the temperature seemed to rise 15 degrees. The change was immediately felt as everyone sensed their clothes were sticking to their own bodies.

"Is there no end to the torture?" Lloyd groaned. Once again, his fashion sense had screwed him over, making him feel warmer than he should.

"I agree. This kind of environment is not meant for heavy clothing." Raine said.

"And you all wonder why I wear shorts and a t-shirt." Genis commented. Everyone glared at him, and he smiled smugly.

'_Just keep walking, Kratos. Don't kill the midget mage…'_ Kratos thought as he kept a straight face.

Colette was actually alright, since her clothes were quite light. Sheena, on the other hand, was watching to make sure her clothes didn't cling too tightly to her. It might draw attention to…er…"certain" parts. Though, she might be ok if I was Lloyd who saw her-wait, what? She shook her head to rid the thoughts. The humidity must be getting to her. But the blush she had to fight to keep down due to the thought returning made her face slightly red.

"Sure is quiet in here…" Lloyd remarked, noticing the lack of monster activity. Usually by now, they'd have been noticed or attacked.

"Not all the seals are monster-infested. Some are placed only to protect the seal from intruders." Kratos said, also being wary. "Even so, we should have seen one monster by now…"

Sheena suddenly turned around, her instincts going nuts. "Everyone down!" she yelled, pulling Lloyd and Colette down quickly. Kratos grabbed Genis and Raine and did the same. Not a moment later, a wide beam of water shot over them.

Lloyd could almost feel the water droplets on his face as it went past, crashing into a wall and tearing it apart.

Quickly leaping up, Lloyd identified the source. Three water elementals had snuck up behind them. '_They must have hid in the water and waited till we were unaware!_' Lloyd thought, drawing his swords to defend himself. Kratos and Sheena quickly joined him, as Raine and the rest settled behind them.

"Sheena, you and me take one on the far right; Kratos, you and Raine the middle one; Genis and Colette, the left. Ready?" Lloyd said, quickly formulating a strategy.

Before they could reply, the middle elemental fired another shot, making them jump to dodge. It crashed into the floor, shooting up rocks into the air.

"Something's up. They seem stronger than they should be." Lloyd noted.

"They're in their element here. It amplifies their abilities immensely." Sheena said.

"Well then, we better hurry and cut them down!" Lloyd said, charging forward with a sonic thrust, interrupting the elementals pursuit. He could hear a low intone, meaning he'd hurt it. He then kicked it off his blade, knocking it back. Water gushed out of the wound hole, and Lloyd smirked. But the smirk went away when the water suddenly returned back to the body and healed it.

"What the heck?" Lloyd exclaimed.

Kratos soon encountered the same problem, using his Light Spear to damage the elemental, but frowned when it healed. "It would seem we need a more direct approach. We need to strike at its core. Lloyd!"

"What is it?" Lloyd asked, turning to look at Kratos.

"You need to strike at their core-MOVE LLOYD!" Kratos yelled. Lloyd instinctively rolled to the side dodging a barrage of rocks emanated by his enemy. "Damn, that was close. Their cores, huh?" Lloyd said.

"The cores of elemental spirits are always surrounded by a layer of mana to protect it. I can disrupt it, and then you strike. Got it?" Sheena said, helping Lloyd to his feet.

"Alright. I'll follow in behind you." Lloyd said.

Sheena dashed forward, whipping out one of her seals. She dodged another water beam before leaping above the elemental and slapping the card on it, calling out "Power Seal!"

Another drone sounded, high pitched now. Lloyd saw his chance as the monster froze in place, its mana disrupted. Rushing forward, he held one blade at a downward angel before leaping up. "Tiger Blade!" he shouted.

The first slash cut through the rock, exposing the shining light of the core. The second cut through the core, making the elemental suddenly dissolve into water.

"Phew! Got him!" Lloyd sighed.

"Kratos and Raine also quickly disposed of their opponent. With knowledge of how to defeat it, Raine quickly used photon to pierce the monster's body, allowing Kratos to strike at the core, eliminating it.

Genis and Colette had to move around before they could strike. The elemental just wouldn't stop firing those annoying beams. Finally, Genis let off a lightning attack, making the being screech as electricity coursed through it. Colette quickly followed up with a ray thrust, throwing her chakram through the core of the elemental. The room was quiet as the last monster dissolved away.

"Everyone ok? Anyone hurt?" Raine asked.

"I think we're all ok. Let's keep go-" Lloyd cut off, looking at the supposed wall that had been first destroyed earlier. "What's this?" he asked, walking up to it.

On the now unveiled hidden wall were etchings, unfazed by age or weather. They looked as if they'd been made only a short time ago. Raine walked up beside him, her eyes slowly scanning the wall.

"It would appear to be pretty old…Genis, get me my book on archaeological symbols, quick!" Raine exclaimed, a certain character on the wall catching her eye.

"Do you recognize them Professor?" Colette asked. Even though Colette had studied and knew most angelic characters, she didn't recognize any of them before her.

"Yes. I saw an almost exact duplicate in the Fire Seal. I disregarded it as merely ancient words, but to see them here too is strange."

Genis brought back a brown-colored tome and handed it to Raine. She started flipping through it quickly and stopped every once in a while, tracing a finger on a line every few seconds.

"Here it is! These figures are indeed old. They date back at least 10,000 years, if I'm reading this right." Raine said, glancing back and forth between the wall and the book.

"What does it say Professor?" Lloyd asked the question on everyone's minds.

Said Professor gave a gasp and slowly turned to Kratos. "That these markings…deal with the ancient god, Vulcan and his works."

Kratos' eyes opened wider. "What did you say?" he said, walking forward to look at the book. Everyone else crowded around it, wanting to have a look at the ancient history.

"It says that Vulcan is credited with helping to design each of the seals, leaving marks like these," she pointed at the wall, "to signify his presence. It goes on to say that he secretly hid a treasure at certain seals that only those who are worthy may attain." She closed the book, leaving an eerie silence.

"Vulcan…the same god who crafted Amatsu-Mikaboshi and Kotoamatsukami." Kratos muttered under his breath. He realized that there may be more to this god if these markings are any indication.

"I wonder what the treasure could be…" Colette remarked. "Do you think it means gold or jewels?"

"No…it would be something different. A god wouldn't leave mere money as a treasure." Genis answered. Genis knew that magic and mana existed…but gods? He'd never considered any beyond Martel to exist.

Raine put the book back into her bag and slung it over her shoulders. "We need to keep moving. We've got a seal to break." This snapped everyone out of their thoughts and back to reality.

As they proceeded further in, Lloyd walked beside Raine and asked, "I'd have thought you'd want to take more time to stuffy it, Professor. Why didn't you?"

Raine replied, "Lloyd, I would have liked to. However, consider our situation. We may have thought our only trouble may be the monsters and the guardian of the Seal. But with this, we're in more danger."

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked.

"Think, Lloyd. A treasure left by a real god. Surely it would be guarded as well? And if so, it most certainly will be more dangerous than the seal's guardian. Not to mention the possible traps and hazards that may already be in place." Raine explained. Lloyd took a moment to absorb this information.

'_It would be great to see the treasure, let alone obtain it. But the professor's right; it would be very dangerous.' _He thought.

"For now, let's focus on the Seal. Just walk with a little more caution." Raine advised, re-focusing on the path.

Further inside, the group figured out the puzzle to raising the platform, albeit they kept going back and forth for about half an hour. _'I hate puzzles…'_ Lloyd grumbled in his head, as they approached the warp point for the final area. Going in, Lloyd let the distant feeling of the warp take him up, unaware of a small orb of light that followed him in…

* * *

The humidity seemed to double once they all arrived, undoubtedly caused by being near Undine's presence. As they slowly observed the pillar's engravings, Colette pointed out that the angelic characters simply stated water, making everyone sweatdrop slightly. This was most certainly the place.

Lloyd suddenly stopped walking and turned around. He had been drifting in his thoughts when he heard another tone, though it was lighter this time, pleasant even. He looked around slowly, not sensing danger, but rather simply something else.

"Lloyd? What is it?" Kratos asked, noticing his son's alertness.

"It's nothing. I thought I heard something." Lloyd replied. He shook it off and blamed it on weary nerves, though he knew he was really just hiding his uncertainty.

Colette proceeded forward and recited the ancient chant to awaken the Seal. She quickly stepped back and drew her chakrams as a sudden burst of water shot up around the seal. Within the water, they saw the shadow of a humanoid form extend a hand, and three creatures suddenly burst forth from the water.

The creatures before them were similar to the mermaids of ancient sea lore. Two of them had lower halves that were tail fins, waving back and forth as they levitated. They both strummed a small harp they held, and produced a lovely sound. They each had seemed almost fully human from there, with bright eyes, long hair that seemed to sway to an unfelt breeze, and a gentle expression. The only thing that stood out amongst their upper bodies was the small fins extending from their ears, and the small wavy rod that stood out atop their head, leaning in front of their foreheads. The sight of an Amphitra at peace was a sight to behold.

Those two hovered beside the middle creature, which was much larger than the other two. She had orange eyes that seemed to glow a little, with no mouth to speak of, or with for that matter. Her hands held no harp; instead her hands were replaced with shark heads, both held at ease for the moment being. Her upper body seemed to be protected by an armor jerkin of sorts, with a jewel encrusted on each side. Atop her head was not hair, but instead a sea creature of sorts, waving its arms in a gentle sway. It was the guardian of the Water Seal, the Adulocia. It regarded the group with a fixed stare, trying to determine if they were enemies or friends.

The two Amphitra suddenly smiled and started to strum their harps, producing an almost relaxing melody. Upon hearing it, Lloyd immediately felt some of his building tension leave him. Kratos noticed and grimaced as he felt his own body loosen.

'_Curses! The Siren's song!' _Kratos thought quickly. It was this very melody that was behind the fable of the Sirens. As they continued, he observed the others starting to lower their weapons, expressions becoming droopy and sleepy. '_I have to stop this!'_

Summoning his willpower, Kratos lifted up his sword as he threw down his shield with the metal facing up. He then swung the blade down and it resounded against the shield, letting out a shrill sound that cut off the mermaid's song abruptly. Everyone blinked as if shaken out of a stupor and readied their minds again. The Adulocia sensed their aggression, and charged forward.

It had greater swiftness than they'd expected, being upon them in barely a second. She swiftly swung her tail to swat them aside, forcing them to duck. Genis however wasn't quick enough, and even though it was a glancing blow to his head, he was sent sprawling to the side.

"Genis!" Colette cried, using her wings to fly to him. She was nearly upon him when she was diverted, forced to dodge sprays of water issued by the Adulocia. She successfully avoided being hit, and helped Genis to his feet, ready to fight. Deciding it couldn't meet her maneuverability with her wings, it refocused her attention to the group.

The Adulocia aimed her hands at the collected group, and the sharks' mouths opened, shooting out a spray of bubbles that were aimed with deadly accuracy. Lloyd sensed what was to come before she fired, and yelled, "Scatter!" sending them to various positions to avoid the spray. Even though he dodged, Lloyd felt flicks of water hit his face, and realized that these monsters must be empowered as well.

The Amphitras broke formation, one going to fight Lloyd and Sheena, who had ran to help him. The other flew to Genis and Colette, where Colette was trying to shake Genis out of his confusion caused by the impact. The Adulocia engaged Kratos and Raine, towering over them menacingly.

Lloyd leapt forward to attack, but the Amphitra dodged him, a smirk on its face. He knew she would try to counter-attack, so he quickly launched a demon fang, making her break off her attempt to swipe at him with her tail and instead float back a few feet. Sheena rushed forward to attempt to attack, but was also thwarted by the creature's movements.

Kratos too seemed to be having trouble. He alongside Raine was trying to hold back the Guardian from reaching the others while trying to harm it themselves, but was having little success. Every time Kratos would attack, the Adulocia would conveniently move out of the way, returning the favor by trying to seemingly bite off his head with her shark hands. Raine helped by keeping Kratos's energy up, healing him whenever he became winded from his efforts. '_It's like it knows what we'll do before we do it…'_ he thought, wary of the guardian.

Genis and Colette were squaring off with the last Amphitra. Genis searched his knowledge of monsters, but was unable to recall a fact about how these beings were predicting their attacks. He knew their elemental weakness was electricity, and was at work trying to cast Lightning. But every time, the creature intervened, throwing him off but not hitting him, thanks to Colette's intervention.

Lloyd observed all of this in the midst of his own fight. '_When we attack, they prevent us from connecting. They're keeping us separate, meaning we can't work together. How are they fighting so well?' _he pondered. He looked around the room and noticed all the water left on the floor from the Adulocia's bubble sprays. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

He then vaguely felt the coolness of the water on his skin through the heat of his adrenaline. He finally glanced at each guardian, remembering that they were specifically beings of water. "That's it!" Lloyd exclaimed.

Kratos parried his attacker's tail and noticed his son's exclaim. "What is it, Lloyd?" he called out.

"The water! It's how they're reading us!" Lloyd yelled.

Genis overheard the yelling over the fighting and yelled back, "What do you mean, Lloyd?"

"Look around us! Water on our bodies and water on the ground. They're using the water to judge our bodies, our reactions. They sense the water on us, and then trace the reaction through the wet floor, and to themselves. Like a spider on its web!" Lloyd explained, moving to dodge another tail lashing.

"That makes sense. But what do we do about it?" Genis said. Kratos thought for a moment before answering aloud, "Sometimes in a battle, one must turn an enemy's advantage into a disadvantage! Of course!"

"Exactly!" Lloyd said. "So all Genis needs to do is…" he trailed off, wanting Genis to figure it out himself.

"Use lightning to fry them? Sounds good to me!" Genis finished for him, the gears in his mind turning, thinking swiftly.

"Right! So when Genis is about to cast it, everyone jump! Understood?" Lloyd yelled.

"Got it!" Colette answered, hovering behind Raine to lift her up when ready.

"Let's hope this works…I have no desire to be fish food!" Sheena said, lashing out to deflect a swipe from the Amphitra.

Lloyd took the initiative and pulled the other Amphitra's attention away from Genis with a Demon Fang. It swiftly dodged and turned to glare at Lloyd, charging him to prevent another assault.

Genis began gathering up mana for the spell, conjuring up the image of lightning. He knew he was gonna need a lot, so he reached deep into his mana stores, summoning as much as he could. Runes started to circle around him, crackling with energy. The air seemed to bristle with energy, the temperature rising.

"Get ready!" He called out. Lloyd took that moment to slash at his opponents with a sword rain, temporarily stunning them as Kratos forced the Adulocia away from him.

"Now!" Lloyd yelled, leaping up as high as possible. Kratos and Sheena followed him, with Colette lifting Raine up.

A small circle around Genis seemed to smoke, already heated by the brimming energy. In Genis's mind, the image of the bolt suddenly changed, becoming a blade. He lifted his head to stare the Adulocia right in the eye, making it suddenly flinch upon seeing the raw power behind his gaze. "Get ready to fry…" he growled out.

Wind suddenly seemed to burst forth from him, produced by the mana he was exerting. A blade formed above them, made of lightning, crackling with electricity as it plummeted to the ground. Upon contact, a loud rumble sounded, similar to thunder, and everything was silent for a moment. It was broken by Genis' voice.

"THUNDER BLADE!" he cried out.

The energy form the blade shot out spreading everywhere like fire to gasoline. It engulfed the water on the floor, and encircled the Guardians before connecting. Their screams filled the room as they were shocked with powerful electricity. Genis was unharmed, the small circle of energy he made earlier insuring no water was on him or around him. Finally, the blade itself dispersed, sending a final pulse of energy that hit the Amphitras and Adulocia full on, letting out one final cry before they dissipated in a storm of energy and mana.

"Whoa…"Lloyd muttered quietly. He knew it was strong, but that was a mighty thunder blade for sure. He'd underestimated the effect it would have. '_He's definitely getting stronger…good job, Genis.' _Lloyd noted, as the group came back to earth.

Genis knelt down on one knee, winded by the effort of the spell. Raine rushed over to him and made sure he was unharmed. After a reassurance from her brother, she stood up and let him stand up as well. He looked at Lloyd and gave him a two finger victory sign. ""that's what they get for messing with me!" He remarked, drawing everyone's laughter.

"Good job, Genis. That was a pretty powerful spell you pulled off there." Lloyd complimented.

"Indeed. You've certainly improved since our last Seal." Kratos noted, making Genis feel slightly embarrassed. It wasn't often you get a compliment out of the badass, you know.

"Now that that's done, shall we finish our job?" Raine said, glancing at the seal where Undine lay. Colette hovered over to the altar before putting away her wings and reciting the chant to break the Seal. Soon enough, Remiel appeared, in his arrogant glory. "Well done, Colette…" Lloyd tuned him out, not wanting to listen to his arrogant, "I'm-oh-so-mighty" tone. Glancing behind him, he saw a small twinkle of light, and strained his eyes to look. He thought he saw an orb of light behind one of them, but when he blinked, it vanished.

When he looked back, Remiel was gone, and Colette was walking back to them. "So, where do we head now?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Hmm…I'd assume the next place would be the Wind Seal…but I'm not sure as to where precisely it is…we should head for Asgard, in any case." Raine said.

Kratos nodded, re-tracing the journey in his mind's eye. He turned to comment to Lloyd, but stopped when he saw an orb of light speeding for Lloyd's back. "Lloyd! Behind you!" he shouted.

Lloyd turned, but not quickly enough, only to glimpse the orb coming at him before all vanished into bright white. Everyone covered their eyes as they were engulfed in it, and vanished along with Lloyd, leaving the Seal empty as if they never came.

* * *

Me: ooh…Cliffhanger. I like using those. This one was shorter than usual, but it will do. So what just has happened to our adventurers now? Are they in for more peril? You'll have to read to find out. See ya next time, and remember to review please!


	17. Chapter 17

Hello, all. Surprised? I actually managed to get my work done on time this time around. School wasn't troublesome, nor was work. So, I managed to get another chapter in, just like you wanted!

Killerbunbun: And we didn't even have to hurt him to get him to do it!

Raenef: Thank god for that…and here's your story!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

When the light finally receded, Lloyd had to blink away the momentary blindness. All he could see was pitch black, which was strange. A few moments later, little flicks of light appeared. They covered the blackness all around him, but it strangely did not light up his location.

He heard groans behind him and turned to see everyone else. He rushed over to Sheena, who was on her knees and clutching at her head. "Sheena! You ok?" Lloyd asked, helping her to her feet.

"I think so…just confused is all." She said, holding onto his hands for support.

"Phew…thought you might've gotten hurt." Lloyd sighed in relief.

"Nah. It'll take more than that to hurt me." Sheena remarked. Sheena suddenly noticed she was still holding onto his hand. She felt her face flush as she pulled away. '_So warm…like a perfect fit to mine…'_ she thought.

"Where are we?" Genis asked. He tried to look for something to define a room, but saw nothing but darkness with little flecks of light.

"All I remember is releasing the Seal and a bright flash of light…" Colette stated.

Kratos quickly shook off his confusion, and glanced at his new surroundings. Even using his angel sense of sight, there was seemingly nothing but the same thing for miles. "I have absolutely no idea…" he muttered. For once, he was surprised, and few things ever surprise Kratos Aurion.

Genis looked down and suddenly gasped. "Guys! Look down!" He exclaimed.

Lloyd and co. looked down and they all gasped. What was apparently under them was a familiar planet, bright blue with large masses of brown and green present. "That's…Sylvarant?!" Raine exclaimed.

"Does that mean we're in space?" Genis asked with his mind racing. Questions flashed briefly within his brain. '_If we're in space, how're we breathing? How're we talking? Are we even alive?!'_

"**In a manner of speaking…yes.**" A deep voice sounded, echoing like a loud rumble. Everyone looked around for the source of the voice, but saw nothing.

"**Up here, mortals.**" The voice echoed again. Everyone looked up, and felt their jaws drop as the being drifted down to them.

It was a massive person, as tall as nearly what seemed a fifth of the infinite Tower of Salvation. He had a muscular frame, hidden behind a black toga of sorts. One pec lay exposed while the other was covered by the toga. His arms were folded over his chest, and his hands were blackened like that of a metal-smith. His hands were rough looking, the knuckles appearing scarred. He had a small beard covering his chin and extending up to his ears. It was colored white, surprisingly, as was his head hair in comparison to his blackened hands and clothes. He had a tan complexion, but one could see traces of old scars here and there along his body. His eyes were of a shocking blue, and had a quizzical look about them as he gazed at the group, his mouth drawn into a straight line.

He finally stopped moving, his head on level with the group's body. He quirked a white eyebrow at the group's shocked expressions. "**What? Have you never seen a god before?**" He asked.

Lloyd shook his head, trying to comprehend what was in front of him. "Are you…Vulcan?" He questioned.

"**Perhaps I am. What is it to you mortals?**" He responded. His eyebrows furrowed suddenly and his tone became angry. "**Are you another of those fools whose come to try and steal what is hidden here? I'll not allow thieves to come near it!"**He rumbled his voice making the group shiver and fumble around as the supposed ground they stood on shook.

"No, sir-I mean, lord- I mean, your greatness!" Lloyd stuttered, utterly frightened.

Vulcan's expression became softer, and the rumbling stopped. "**Not thieves, you claim? Yet you approach armed for battle. Who are you, and how did you come across this place?**" He asked.

"My name is Lloyd Irving, sir. We mean no harm. As for how we got here, I'm not sure. All I remember is a bright orb of light and a flash after we released Undine's seal." Lloyd answered as quickly as possible. He did not want to anger the ancient being.

Vulcan's eyes shone with understanding, and he visibly relaxed, and said, "**Undine's Seal? I see. Then you are indeed not thieves. You would not have been able to reach here otherwise. Ad a bright orb of light, you say? Interesting…**" A chair, similar to that of a throne, materialized behind Vulcan, and he sat down. Lloyd and co. were forced to strain their necks to still view him, as his head was now far above them.

"If I may, Vulcan, why is that interesting?" Kratos asked, drawing on his courage to speak.

The god's eyes shifted to Kratos and he answered, "**Because it means this boy here is worthy of my test, Kratos Aurion."**

Kratos' eyes widened. "You know my name?"

"**Indeed. I, along with the other gods watched your battles long ago, up to this point. Minerva and Mars were very impressed; Minerva with your wisdom and cunning and Mars with your power and strength. **(1) **They often argued over which would have you as their champion." **He replied, his eyes gleaming with humor as he recalled their often dramatized arguments.

Kratos sat there, humbled by this revelation. Lloyd slightly sweat-dropped and thought, '_I knew dad was good, but damn!'_

"So then, what is the test?" Genis asked, finally finding his voice.

"Well, little one, it's simple really." Vulcan said while squinting his eyes a little to focus on Genis. "The test is…" he held for dramatic tension.

Genis gulped as did everyone else.

"…you must grow five inches taller." Vulcan finished, his lips split into a smile.

A few seconds passed before everyone realized he was joking. Lloyd tried to stifle his laughter, but couldn't and laughed loudly. Raine was trying to keep a straight face and was succeeding, till she heard Genis mutter, "I blame puberty…" Then it broke and she started laughing. Even Kratos' mouth twitched as the tension was relieved.

"**Forgive me, youngling, but you were all too tense for me to test you. Please, relax. It is nothing serious.**" Vulcan chuckled.

"Then, what really is the test, Vulcan?" Lloyd asked. He wondered if they had to fight him…goddess forbid they had to do that. He could squish them with just one hand!

"Simple, young warrior. It is this…" Vulcan suddenly reached forward and grabbed Lloyd in his giant fist. Lloyd struggled a moment before realizing that it was futile, and only looked on in fear as he was brought to Vulcan's eye level.

"Shouldn't we do something?!" Genis exclaimed, worried for his friend.

"If you think we can take on a god, then go ahead and lead the charge." Sheena muttered. She held a brave façade, but her heart was racing. She was worried- no, scratch that- terrified of what may happen to Lloyd. Her hands shook as they balled into fists. What if he got hurt? Should she fight back?

"Sheena, you need to calm down." Kratos said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She stopped shaking for a moment and turned to look at him, her eyes wide with fright. "But…" she started.

"He will be fine. You know he is strong. Besides, he's got us to back him up, if needed." He said quietly. Sheena took a breath to calm her worries, and resolve replaced the fear in her eyes.

Back with Lloyd, he was looking into Vulcan's eyes, which seemed to be peering into his soul. He felt himself freeze up, as if time had stopped, yet his mind kept processing.

'_**Interesting…'**_ Vulcan's voice echoed in his mind.

'_What do you mean?'_ Lloyd thought in reply.

'_**You carry great care and compassion for your companions, far beyond what most should. I see many times where you've risked your life for them. Times that seem to have happened before…wait a moment…'**_ Vulcan rumbled lightly. Lloyd felt his head suddenly become more filled, and bit back a cry of shock.

'_**You **__**have**__** done this before…astounding…you've managed to cross the time stream…and survive, fully intact!'**_ Vulcan remarked. Lloyd felt his heart nearly stop beating. He knew. He knew who he was, what he'd done!

'_**Of course I know, boy; I am a god after all. We're supposed to know these things. I take it they do not know either, your companions?'**_ Vulcan rebuked gently.

'_Yes, sir. They don't know. I have told Kratos and Sheena, however.'_ Lloyd answered.

'_**I see…the mercenary and the summoner, correct?'**_ Vulcan questioned, and Lloyd, felt, or rather sensed, Vulcan's gaze drift to them. Memories both past and present came to his mind.

'_**So you choose to forgive thine father of his past, and accept him as your true father? And this young woman…ah-ha!' **_Vulcan exclaimed, his voice laced with excitement. _**'You care greatly for her as well. She is in your heart, yes? **_Lloyd felt the gaze return to him.

'_In my heart?' _Lloyd asked.

'_**Yes boy, in your heart, your mind. Do not lie to me or your heart, boy.' **_Vulcan said.

Lloyd took Vulcan's words and felt his face heat up. His mind drifted to Sheena, her beauty, her grace, her attitude to life. He thought of how she always supported him, believed in him. How she never insulted, but helped him when she knew he needed guidance. '_I…I do._' Lloyd muttered in quiet amazement.

'_**Then that's all I need to hear.'**_ Vulcan concluded, before he returned Lloyd to the group.

Lloyd stumbled a moment before regaining his balance. Sheena rushed forward and clutched to one of his arms. "You ok?" she asked.

"I'm alright, Sheena, now that I've got you backing me up." He answered.

Sheena's cheeks turned pink and she lightly punched his arm. "Idiot…I've always got your back."

"**Lloyd Irving, step forward, please.**" Vulcan's voice rang out, bringing him back to the matter at hand. He walked forward and stood at his full height, his eyes revealing the resolve within.

"**I have tested thine soul and heart, the two forces of a mortal's existence that cannot deceive nor lie. As such, I have judged you worthy of my test and congratulate you.**" Vulcan stated with approval in his eyes.

He raised one massive hand, and clenched his fist while closing his eyes. A bright light shone, blinding the group. When it went away, Lloyd watched as Vulcan opened his fist to reveal a strange object.

It was a sword, yet it was a sword the likes of which Lloyd had only seen like Yuan's. The hilt of the blade was dark green, with a yellow outline. A star symbol lay in the middle of the hilt. Surprisingly, it was double-bladed, with one blade on each end, glowing bright green as if alive. One could almost see tiny flames licking up and down the metal. The hand-grip was shown on the side, where it would face the wielder's hip, so as to prevent the wielder from being harmed by the blades. (2) The blades then faded and folded into a smaller, more compact form. It floated over Lloyd's head, and he turned to watch as it drifted and fell into Sheena's hands. "M-me?" she stuttered out.

"**This blade, Azzinoth, only serves the one it knows is worthy. The last it was wielded, the wielder had stolen it, albeit from a demon. **(3) **In this case, I have decided to restore it to its form right after creation, so as to erase any history of past corruption. You have received it only because of this Swordsman's heart and feelings.**" Vulcan answered.

Sheena turned to look at Lloyd, who blushed and looked away. '_His feelings? Feelings for…me?'_ She thought, her heart beating faster as she wondered.

"**This sword serves its wielder's will. Tell it to defend another, and it shall. Command it to become aflame, and it will burn as hot as the sun if you so desired. Its power is measured not only by your mana, but by your strength of will.**" Vulcan stated.

"Thank you, sire. I'll do my best to wield it." Sheena said, humbled by the honor.

"**As for you, Irving, I offer advice…and a warning. For your advice, I suggest you follow the course of your current plan. Should you seek my council, you need only return here or to one of my other secret resting places.**" Vulcan said.

"How will we know when we find them?" Lloyd asked. "And what is your warning?"

"**It will likely be the same as before. You'll only know when it happens. As for my warning…**" His eyes took a serious glint, and his voice became gravely serious.

"**Beware the blade of Darkness. It casts a long shadow over this world. You must be cautious to not fall into it, for it will certainly lead to your doom.**" He finished.

Lloyd nodded in understanding, and Vulcan settled back into his seat. "**Then farewell, Lloyd Irving, and good luck with your journey.**"

Another bright light engulfed the group, and when it vanished, so did they. Vulcan sat upon his throne, and pondered what had just transpired. '_**A swordsman returning to the past…Azzinoth's new wielder…and the darkness created by my own folly…the mortal world is about to become very interesting again…**_'

When Lloyd could see again, they were back within the seal. "Did that…really just happen?" Lloyd muttered.

Sheena reached into her knapsack, and sure enough, there was the celestial blade, in its de-energized state. "Looks like it." She confirmed.

"You humans are certainly an intriguing type." A smooth voice spoke. The group turned to the Seal to see Undine fully appear before them.

"Un-Undine!" Sheena said, immediately bowing in respect to the summon spirit.

"Rise, summoner. There's no need for such formalities." Undine stated with humor in her eyes. "We stand on almost equal respects now, anyways."

Sheena's eyebrow quirked up in confusion at her statement.

"Allow me to explain. You just returned from speaking to Lord Vulcan, yes?" Undine asked, and Sheena nodded. "And you received an item from him?"

Sheena pulled out the blade and focused some of her mana into it. The twin blades shot out on both sides and glowed bright green. "I see. Then you are indeed worthy of a pact with me." Undine stated.

"But wait, I thought that your pact with Mithos was still in effect?" Sheena asked, confused.

"That is correct, for the time being. However, one must remember, that the vow of a pact must be kept active. Mithos has not kept his vow, and as such, you are within your rights to seek a new pact to be forged. Normally, I would challenge you to test your strength. However, that blade is a symbol of Lord Vulcan, meaning you have been marked as someone well worth granting a pact to." Undine explained.

Sheena glanced back at the group to see what they thought. Lloyd nodded and smiled in confidence, and Sheena returned it before turning to Undine again.

"Undine! I am Sheena! I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos and establish a new pact with me."

"I accept your pact, Lady Sheena. Use my powers wisely." Undine stated, before transforming into a blue ball of energy and floating to Sheena, who held out her hands. Undine then placed herself into Sheena's hands, and assimilated her essence into Sheena.

Lloyd ran up and congratulated Sheena. "Wow, receiving a celestial blade and a new summon pact? You're on a roll, Sheena!" he remarked.

Genis sighed and stretched before commenting. "I'm beat. All this talk and meeting with gods and summon spirits is really tiring."

"Me too. It was amazing to see though!" Colette exclaimed.

"Then let's head back to the mainland. We're not gonna get any rest here." Kratos said, before looking around. "Um, Genis? Where is Raine?" he asked.

"Hmm? That's odd; she was just here a minute ago…" Genis said, looking around for his sister.

"Oh my Goddess!" They heard her cry out. They turned around at the noise, but only sweat-dropped once they saw Raine examining the rock on the Seal.

"This is astounding! This stone is also made of Polycarbonate, such as the Fire seal, yet it's also infused with other materials as well! Perhaps designed to counteract the erosion caused by the moisture in this room? I must research it more!" She babbled rapidly.

"Anyone make sense of that?" Lloyd asked, unable to process what Raine was saying.

"You got me…" Sheena muttered.

"We'd better get her out of here before she starts to actually dig into the rock…" Genis said, before walking up and comically dragging Raine to the portal.

"No! My research isn't finished yet! There's still so much to investigate!" She rattled on, throwing out phrases like "Matrices of design" and "Intricacy of Symbols" before vanishing into the portal with Genis.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to that." Sheena commented. Lloyd shook his head and said, "Me either…and I've had her as a teacher for years…"

* * *

Once they returned to the mainland, they traveled for a couple of hours on their way to the mountains. As they walked, Lloyd noticed Sheena sneaking glances at him before blushing and looking away. '_I wonder what's got Sheena acting so odd…'_ he thought.

Sheena's mind was a furtive mix of thoughts. She kept replaying Vulcan's words in her mind, as wee as how Lloyd's hand felt on hers. She kept looking at Lloyd from behind him, but kept looking away before he noticed, or so she hoped. '_I don't know what to think…Vulcan said it was given to me based on Lloyd's feelings…but feelings of what? Friendship? Care?' _she felt her face heat up at the next word to cross her mind. '_Love?'_

She decided she would have to settle the matter tonight by talking with him. She just hoped she didn't screw it up.

That evening, after all the group had settled in, and the tents and beds were set-up, Sheena found Lloyd sitting by the fire and paused a moment to look at him.

The fire cast long shadows over his body. His gloves were off and put aside, his hands resting under his chin. His eyes were staring into the fire, intent and focused. The light from the fire made his face appear handsome and she found her heart pounding as she watched him. '_He really is handsome…'_ she thought. She slowly approached him and quietly called out to him. "Hey, Lloyd."

Lloyd turned to look and his expression became happy. "Hey, yourself. You couldn't sleep?" he asked, scooting over to let her sit next to him. She sat down next to him and pulled her legs up to rest her arms and head on them. "Nope. You couldn't either?" she said.

"Mm-mm. Too much on my mind." Lloyd responded. His eyes turned back to the fire and resumed a focused look.

Sheena saw this as a chance to learn more about Lloyd. "Well, maybe you should talk it out? It helps to talk to someone about something you're worried about."

Lloyd sighed and replied, "There's so much, Sheena. So much that's happened, so much that will happen. What with the Journey, Vulcan, that look-a-like guy, and everything else, it makes me wonder if I'm up to it, if I can handle it."

Sheena looked at his face and saw how his worries were seemingly etched into the lines on his face. "Well, for one thing, you are not alone. You've got that much. Nobody said you had to do this alone." She commented.

"You're right, but still…I'm worried you and Kratos and everyone else will get hurt." Lloyd said.

Sheena put a hand on his shoulder and said assuring, "It's good of you to worry, Lloyd. But don't let it bother you so much. We're tougher than we look. I'm sure Kratos can easily back you up, and we've got him and Raine to heal us for injuries anyway."

Lloyd's eyes softened and he said quietly, "I know…I just…care a lot, you know? Aside from you guys, I don't have too many friends. I don't know what I'd do if one of you got hurt and it was because I hadn't reacted right or made the right decision."

Sheena simply chuckled, which made Lloyd quirk an eyebrow. He detected sadness under that laugh. "You're a lot more caring than I gave you credit for, Lloyd. I'll give you that." Sheena remarked, before looking at the small fire that lit the area.

"I know they're strong…Kratos is a powerful swordsman, and Raine a great healer…Genis is a mage on the rise, and Colette's the Chosen One. All of them are strong in their own right…" her expression became crestfallen. "…except for me. I'm the weakest."

Lloyd tilted his head at these words. "What're you talking about?" he asked. He'd never seen this side of her before.

Sheena's eyes became sad as she continued to stare at the fire. "It's not only that. I know your friends treat me as a friend and all, but they probably still see me as a foreigner. Not to mention that if they learned I'm trained as an assassin, they'd become afraid of me." She stated, her voice becoming depressed.

Lloyd quickly realized he was seeing the Sheena underneath the surface, who hid her fears and worries under a calm exterior. Who chooses to fight not to just serve her duty, but also to prevent the world from seeing the lonely and sad girl within. "Sheena, none of that is true!" Lloyd said. He watched as Sheena barely even acknowledged his words, lost in her sorrow.

He suddenly grabbed her shoulders to turn her and look him in the eye. "Lloyd?" She whispered, shocked out of her memories by his touch.

Lloyd's tone became strong as the fire seemed to support the glow in his eyes. His voice came out firm, without doubt. "Never think we don't trust you, Sheena. And we don't care where you're from. We care about who the person is, not the place they were born in. You're a great person, and I know it." He stated.

Sheena became lost as she looked into his chocolate brown eyes, filled with strength. "What do you mean? I'm nobody great…" she said.

"But you are!" Lloyd objected. "You're smarter than most of us. You're quick and agile in battle, and certainly a powerful fighter. There are times when I watch you fight, and I think, 'I wish I could be like that'. But there's more to it than that." Lloyd's tone became softer, gentler.

"You are a friend, someone I can rely on. I could go to you for help, and I would trust and consider what you think. Your opinion matters to me." He blushed slightly as he continued. "And furthermore…I think you're beautiful."

Sheena's eyes widened at this revelation. "You…you think I'm…beautiful?" She whispered. In her mind, she wanted to hear it again. Oh, how she wanted to, especially from the man in front of her.

"Yes, I do. I think you're beautiful, Sheena. In fact, I know you are. I've watched sometimes when some men just stared at you as you walked past, and how some girls when they see you, they look away because they think they can't compare. You have such grace and gentleness that it makes me look like a big oaf sometimes!" he laughed. Sheena laughed too, relieved of some of her tension. She turned to the fire again. "I remember…when I was young, at my home village. How I was an outcast."

Sheena started to feel her hand tremble, but it stopped as she felt Lloyd take it in his. The gentle squeeze he gave encouraged her to continue.

"Everyone knew I was an orphan, but it really didn't bother them much. I was the chief's daughter, and that's all that mattered. But when it was revealed I could use magic…they turned on me." Sheena felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

"Friends regarded me with a cautious look; neighbors stopped smiling and just ignored me. Because they saw me as possibly a half-elf, they rejected me. They even…"her voice cracked, but another squeeze from Lloyd kept her going.

"They even said I wouldn't amount to anything…that I was nothing better than dirt to be trampled on and forgotten." She finished. She felt a tear streak down her cheek.

Suddenly, Lloyd pulled her into a tight embrace. "L-Lloyd?" she squeaked quietly.

"Just let it out, Sheena. Just let it all out. Let the hurt go." Lloyd whispered in her ear.

With that, the floodgates opened, and Sheena simply sat there in Lloyd's arms as she let the tears flow. The fire crackled in the background as Sheena let out her emotions, her tears dripping onto Lloyd's shirt as she laid her head on his chest. She shook so much from sobbing; her hair tie came undone, letting her hair cascade down to between her shoulder blades. No words were said in this moment, as Lloyd simply rubbed her back to comfort her. To be at her age now and hear that, she could brush it off and not be bothered. But to hear such remarks and words at such a young age, she'd no way of dealing with them, or of being told they were lies. She was forced to accept them as truth, and it hurt her deeply to do so.

'_Perhaps that's why she seemed so hostile to the world the first time around on the Journey…because it seemed they were all against her…'_ Lloyd thought.

The sniffles finally stopped as Sheena felt her emotions calm down. Lloyd lifted her head up gently from his chest and asked softly, "Are you ok now?" Sheena simply nodded and wiped away what was left on her face.

"Good. Now I want you to listen carefully to me, ok?" Lloyd said. Sheena nodded again and looked him in the eyes.

"You are definitely not an outcast, Sheena Fujibayashi. Far from it, in fact. You are a friend, someone we believe in, respect, and care for. You will certainly amount to something. Just look at all you've accomplished so far."

"You saved Genis' life at the Fire Seal. You helped to defend against not one, but two Grand Cardinals and their armies and saved an entire city. You were recognized by Vulcan, and you obtained a pact with Undine, both after helping us to best the Water Seal. Would someone who was less than dirt be able to do all that?"

Sheena shook her head. She felt her happiness rise and replace her sorrow as she heard each of the things she did, and realized, he was right. She was more than just some person: She was a proud ninja of Mizuho, a summoner. She was much more than what they had claimed her to be before. She tuned back in as Lloyd continued.

"Furthermore, you are a beautiful woman, Sheena, and an incredible friend. I highly doubt I would find anyone like you. In fact…" Lloyd trailed off, shyly looking at the ground with his cheeks ablaze.

"What? What is it?" Sheena asked, wanting to know badly.

(Four Seasons, by Namie Amuro, starts to play)

"Vulcan asked me…if I cared about you. And after thinking on it…" Lloyd looked her in the eyes. "I do. I care for you, Sheena."

Sheena felt her heart nearly stop and her face flush. "You…you do, Lloyd?"

Lloyd nodded. "When you laugh, I laugh. When you smile, I feel peace. When you're angry, I try to understand why, and when I do, I do my best to help you. And when you're sad, I just want to hold you and protect you from harm." He responded. He scratched his head with his hand in a nervous gesture. "Sounds kinda lame, doesn't it? For a guy to say all that?"

Sheena felt tears of happiness sting her eyes. Her heart soared with joy, and she realized she felt the same for him. "On the contrary, Lloyd, I personally love guys like that." She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug, saying, "Thank you, Lloyd, thank you. You've no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that."

Lloyd returned the hug, wrapping his arms around her waist. He could smell her scent, a scent of what might've been jasmine, from her hair. Sheena suddenly noticed her hair ribbon had come undone, and suddenly reached to fix it. But Lloyd's hands stopped her, and he whispered, "No, leave it like that. It makes you look all the more beautiful."

Sheena felt her face light up and she smiled. She looked him in the eyes and saw how close they were. "Lloyd…"she whispered softly. She leaned forward a little.

"Yes, Sheena?" Lloyd replied, just as soft. His eyes reflected her emotions.

"Can I…kiss you?" she asked quietly.

Lloyd replied by cupping her chin and pressing his lips to hers. Time seemed to stop for Sheena as she savored the moment. She wrapped her arms and interlinked her hands around the back of his neck as he ran a hand through her hair. She loved the feeling, and enjoyed every moment of it.

Lloyd himself was lost in his own feelings. Sheena's lips felt so soft on his, and he didn't want to let go. The softness of her hair was like silk to his hands. '_I wonder…if this was what it was like for dad when he was with mom…'_ Lloyd thought briefly.

The kiss finally broke as they ran out of air, and their foreheads touched as they panted, their cheeks flushed.

"That was…incredible…"Sheena said.

"You're…a great…kisser, Sheena." Lloyd replied.

They sat there, in tranquil silence, enjoying the close presence of the other. "I think now I can sleep at ease…" Lloyd whispered, smiling.

"Me too. Goodnight, Lloyd." Sheena said, giving him a chaste kiss before walking off to her tent.

"Goodnight, Sheena." Lloyd whispered, walking to his own tent. He settled in and quickly drifted to sleep, his dreams concerning one raven-haired summoner. Unbeknownst to him, Kratos had been awake, and only smiled as he looked up into the stars. '_I bet your happy now, eh Anna?'_ he thought cheerily. He saw a start twinkle as if in reply. '_I know. I am too.'_ He thought, and returned back to sleep.

'_I can't wait to use this on Lloyd. Finally, after 4000 years, I get to use Fatherly blackmail! Oh, the mayhem that I will ensue!'_

_(song fades out)_

* * *

1) Minerva: Roman name for the Greek goddess Athena. Mars: Roman name for the Greek god of war, Ares. The two were known for their rivalry.

2) Description based of the legendary item from World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, called the Warglaive of Azzinoth. Originally came in a set of two, but for this story, there will be only one. Google it for a proper picture.

3) The wielder of the Warglaives of Azzinoth was Illidan Stormrage, who had obtained them after killing the demon known as Azzinoth. The Warglaives were Azzinoth's blades, and Illidan took them and became their master.

Raenef: Well, that was certainly touching. I didn't think I was capable of pulling off a scene like that. Go figure, eh? (Hears sniffling and turns around) Are you…crying?

(Killerbunbun and Metamorcy sitting beside me, sniffling)

Morcy: N-No! Shut up! Something in my eye! (Hands Killerbunbun a tissue, with which she blows her nose.)

Me: Right…well, anyways. A lot of stuff happening in this chapter, eh? Sheena getting a weapon and a pact with Undine…not to mention a boyfriend!

Some of you may complain this may be out of character for Sheena. Before you start that babble, comprehend two things. One: This is a time travel fic. Time travel fics often incorporate changes in character's behaviors, actions, thoughts, etc. Since Lloyd came back in time, his presence altered many things, whether he knows it or not.

Two: In the game's plot, it is revealed that Sheena is an orphan, and that for her to be able to summon, she must have some sort of heritage involving elves, as all magic users in the ToS universe do. For this case, I expanded on the idea of a negative reaction from her village as a young child, which would cause her to become aggressive as she would believe nobody to be her friend. Zelos may be an enigma to this, but that would be because perhaps he is the Chosen One, which Sheena would make an exception for.

Aside from that, I'll accept any point of views on the matter in your reviews. Also, I am considering the possibility of writing a lemon in the far future for Lloyd and Sheena. Yes, I know that would make this fic jump to an M rating. Yes, I know most fics with lemons and ToS usually end up rather badly. I do however, have experience writing such scenes, and feel up to the challenge. However, that's only if you, my audience, approves of such content for this story. If you feel I should do so, then leave a comment on your review. If you do not, say so as well. It will be up to you. I shall make a poll on my profile page as well for this idea.

I will wait up to about a month before I close voting for this, and I will tally up the votes from both the reviews and the poll.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again soon.


	18. Chapter 18

In the small town of Owensboro, Kentucky, we come across a small home lying right in the middle of the town. It's a humble home, well-kept and with a garden that provides a refreshing color for the neighborhood. Inside, we witness an 18 year old boy with curly hair and a bored expression working on scholarships and applications for college. Having filled his quota for the day, he turns his laptop off and chooses to stand up, having had enough of the real world for one day.

He scratches his head and considers logging in to play his new favorite game, World of Warcraft, but decides against it. The Lich King can wait for him to come and destroy him. He walks to his room only to stop and look up at the attic doorway above his head. His mind suddenly filled with curiosity, he pulls down the string that is tied to the higher than usual doorway, walking up the new pathway. His Asics greet a dust covered wood floor, and he coughs from the dust kicked up from opening the door.

The attic is filled with various boxes and chests, all collected from a wide range of places and ventures. One, labeled "Raenef" in sharpie on the cardboard top, seems to draw the most attention. He struggles to open it at first, but it snaps ajar, revealing stacks and stacks of paper.

The topmost one he picks up, reading aloud "Second Chance", and is suddenly visited by flashbacks of hours spent writing and researching a rather familiar story. His mouth breaks into a grin as curiosity becomes a decision.

The author has returned.

_Now then, as you've long awaited hearing this again, on with the Show!_

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

Daylight brought a new day for our heroes, as a bright and cloudless sky filled each viewer's sight. One certain midget mage woke up first, his small youthful body full of energy as any would be his age. After the usual ritual of grumbling at bright stars and rough beds, Genis stood and stretched. The night's sleep had done him good, feeling well-rested after such a curious night. He wondered if it was all a dream, a fantasy made by his imaginative subconscious to keep him asleep. But he knew better, oh yes he did. After all, things are never just a coincidence in life, especially in a world like Sylvarant.

The fact he could see the blade Sheena received from Vulcan sticking out of her bag was a good clue too.

Raine soon followed him, as did Kratos and the rest of the group. Oddly enough, Kratos woke up grumbling about tomatoes before regaining his composure, but it was soon forgotten.

"Go…go…good moooooorning, everyone." Lloyd yawned, scratching at his eye. "Everyone get good rest?"

"For the most part, yes." Kratos answered. '_But my foe, dream tomato, has escaped me yet again, the cunning fiend! I will vanquish you, vile plant!!'_ he thought to himself. The image of a giant tomato being stabbed almost made Kratos' face split into a smile. Almost.

"What should we do for breakfast this morning? We don't have much left in the way of cooking materials." Genis asked.

"Well, with what happened yesterday, we may have to skip breakfast to make up for lost time." Raine replied. She was busy packing her sleeping bag into her travel pack. "After all, we have a schedule to keep and need to keep moving." She received no reply, and looked up to see both Lloyd and Genis giving her looks of insanity. "What?" she asked.

"Skip…breakfast?" Lloyd repeated. His and Genis' stomach growled aloud. "Professor, forgive me for saying this, but have you gone mad?!" He said.

"Lloyd, I think you'll live if you miss one breakfast. You can make up for it at lunch." Raine replied, and resumed packing.

"But…but…food!" Lloyd whined. He cried mock tears at the idea of skipping breakfast. Dirk had always told him that one should start the day with a good breakfast. Of course, he couldn't follow the Dwarven idea of breakfast entirely. Even he couldn't eat an entire feast meant for 10 people. Maybe 6.

"You'll be alright, Lloyd. The next town isn't that far away! We'll be there before you know it." Colette stated. She gave Lloyd a confident smile. Lloyd sighed and accepted that he would have to forego breakfast. They did need to get a move on, after all. He looked to Sheena, who also gave him a smile and nod.

"Alright then, we'll skip breakfast. But I expect a good lunch when we reach the next town." Lloyd relented. With that, the group headed for Hakonesia Peak. Lloyd and Sheena walked close to each other, whispering and exchanging jokes as they traveled. Out of earshot, the two agreed to move things slow, not wanting to ruin the possibility of a deeper relationship. That and…well…the last thing Lloyd wanted was a Birds and the Bees lecture from his father. Martel knows just how it was he was taught it all those years ago when he was Lloyd's age.

Outside of that, the walk was peacefully quiet. They didn't come across any random monsters on their way, much to their appreciation. A gentle breeze accompanied them, and the landscape of the Palmacosta region's fields were enough to leave one at peace. Lloyd looked out at the fields, and was content seeing the healthy green grass and hills that could be seen all the way to the horizon. After witnessing the destruction caused by the Great Seed, it was a comfort to see everything at ease with the world.

'_Maybe it won't be so bad a walk as I thought?' _he thought to himself.

* * *

**3 hours later, outskirts of Asgard**

'_I just had to be wrong, didn't I?'_Lloyd reflected, dragging his feet along the path. The journey up Hakonesia Peak had been simple enough for the group. Although it was a steep walk up due to the tall mountain's ascending path, it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. They did come across a lone wolf every once in awhile, but would scare it off without any conflict. And when they arrived, they received no hassle from the guards. But no, everything couldn't go right today, unfortunately. The first strike was skipping breakfast.

The next came from the ever-annoying, ever-stingy Koton.

**Flashback**

"_Wait one minute, just one minute there!" Lloyd and the others turned to watch an elderly man make his way towards them from the small building that sat to the side of the passageway through the mountain. Lloyd recognized it as Koton, and held back a grimace as he approached._

"_Is there a problem?" Lloyd asked, trying to be respectful as best he could._

"_Yes, there is. Specifically with you and your group trying to pass through here without the proper papers and authority." Koton replied. He pointed his cane at Lloyd, which held less of a dramatic effect than comedic as the man was much shorter than Lloyd. "Who do you think you are, trying to swindle me?"_

"_Sir, we're not trying to swindle you. We have a pass from Neil of Palmacosta for our group, right here." Raine stated, holding up said document. _

_Koton's entire approach and behavior changed as he addressed Raine. "Hmm…perhaps, my fair lady. But, while I may find you women trustworthy, how can I know these men are not trying to sneak by, taking advantage of your obvious kindness?" He said, casting a dirty glance at the male members of the group._

"_Would we really be traveling with them if we were sneaking by? How does that even make sense?" Genis retorted with his expression and tone deadpan at the foolish man's actions._

"_Oh, a wise guy, eh?" Koton looked Genis up and down. "Kinda short for an adventurer, aren't you?"_

_Genis looked ready to blast him with a fireball, but was held back by Sheena. "Look, sir, we can attest to being innocent travelers. We're not trying to swindle you, or sneak by, or take advantage of anyone. We just wish to pass by peacefully is all." Kratos stated, trying to act as the voice of reason. But if he really had it his way, he would have just simply ignored the man and kept going._

"_Who do you think you are, trying to act all big and tough? I bet you're all talk and no action." Koton returned heatedly. Kratos was so confused at the man's response, he chose to simply settle for his customary (and also trademark) sigh. "Ha, I knew it! Nothing but a phony, just like the rest of you boys, I'd wager!" Kratos' sweatdrop grew as the man went on and on._

"_Now let's see here…three travelers trying to cross my passageway…yes, which would come out to about…three million Gald!" Koton calculated with a sinister grin. Lloyd and co. face planted at the result. Lloyd was the first to recover, and had reached his limit._

"_Look, we don't have three million gald, nor do we need it. We have a pass," Lloyd pointed at the said pass in Raine's hand, "that covers all of us! If you don't believe us, then go back and ask Neil for confirmation. As for us, we are going, with or without your say."_

_Koton appeared outraged at Lloyd's defiance. "How dare you, you brat! I am your elder, and you will show some respect!" He was cut off by two swords and a kendama pointed at him._

"_We have been patient enough with you, you old fool. We are going to pass through here, with or without your approval. If you have a problem with that, just try and stop us." Lloyd stated before sheathing his blade, Kratos mimicking his action. Genis wiggled his kendama at Koton a moment before putting his weapon away also. With that said, the group walked past the now amused guards, who gladly let them pass._

**End Flashback**

Oh, but the fun couldn't stop there. Then there was the situation with walking down the mountain. Now, walking up the mountain was incredibly difficult, as one could well imagine. So, by logic, shouldn't going down the mountain be much easier?

As Lloyd found out, it was a resounding no.

**Flashback**

_Lloyd and the group moved with a cautious approach as they moved down Hakonesia's path. The sudden switch from large uphill to deep decline wasn't unexpected, but not to the extent where they had to measure out each step without slipping and falling._

'_Easy, Lloyd, easy does it. You've done this once before, you can do it with ease again…' Lloyd thought to himself, planting one foot on a rock as he felt gravity's strong force acting upon him. His stomach growled louder, the intensity having grown since leaving the peak, and he clutched a hand to it. 'Man, I need to get food soon…I'm hungry enough to eat even Raine's cooking right about now.' Lloyd realized what he just thought and mentally slapped himself for thinking of eating toxic poisonous objects._

"_Don't worry, Lloyd, we're almost there. Then you can have all the food you want!" Sheena stated, noticing Lloyd's look of hunger. "I'm sure the inn will have plenty of food for us to eat."_

"_I could still cook something, Lloyd, if you don't think you can go much further." Raine offered. The entire group flinched and moved a step away from Raine at those words._

"_Sis, we're trying to feed him, not kill him." Genis said, and received a whap on the head for his remark. "You know it's true…"_

_Lloyd became so pre-occupied with the idea of a feast waiting for him that he forgot to plan his next footstep, causing him to slip and lean forward. He tried waving his arms to keep his balance, but to no avail as he fell forward. But no, this was no simple fall on a path. This was on Hakonesia Peak, where gravity liked to be mean. Lloyd's fall continued, causing him to roll down the path and bump or crash against a tree, various rocks, a wolf, more rocks, another tree, and so on. The group could only wince and grimace as Lloyd let out groans of pain with each hit before finally stopping near the end of the downhill._

"_That is, if the path doesn't kill him first…" Genis sighed._

**End Flashback**

The memory caused Lloyd's body to surge with dulled pain, but he pushed those thoughts back as he witnessed the gate to Asgard come within sight. Lloyd nearly wept with tears of joy at reaching the village, kissing the ground and praising Martel for making it to his destination. The rest of the group merely sweatdropped at Lloyd's actions, and Kratos patted his back gently before entering the village.

Asgard was well known for being a place to visit for tourists and geologists alike, with large cliffs adorned with houses made from various rock types. Some of the homes actually extended to enter inside the cliffs themselves, the addition providing extra protection from bad weather. A strong breeze blew through as the group made their way towards the main hotel for visitors. Inside, the hotel was well furnished, with a small waiting area to the side for visitors who pay extra gald to receive free breakfast during their stay.

"We would like to reserve rooms for six people, please, preferably split by gender." Kratos asked politely. Lloyd and co. waited behind him as the receptionist scribbled their names onto the hotel logbook. Kratos remembered his son's obvious hunger and added, "Is it possible to obtain a meal right now? We've had a long journey in coming here, and many of us are hungry." Had Lloyd not known that Kratos would've likely killed him for doing it, he would have gladly glomped the man for making the request.

"I'm sorry, sir. As much as I would like to, we have no spare food to hand out at the time…or any food, for that matter." The receptionist answered, a frown adorning her features.

Lloyd's joy ceased immediately. "Say what now?" he asked.

"Almost all of the villages food has been taken as offering to the alter of the Summon Spirit of Wind at the top of our village. I'm afraid I don't know much more than that, but if you can find the elder, he will explain it more for you." She answered, bowing as an apology.

'_What in the world? This air spirit didn't accept food offerings when we came through here before. He only accepted living offerings. So why...'_Lloyd thought to himself. Genis must have noticed his change of expression, when he came up and patted Lloyd on the back.

"We know, Lloyd. You want food. We all do." Genis stated, feeling a pang of hunger as well. Lloyd resisted the urge to sweatdrop at his friend's belief he was only driven by his stomach. He knew he shouldn't have told him about Dwarven eating habits.

"Let's go find the elder, and see if we can get some answers out of him. Hopefully, he can resolve this and provide us with something." Raine stated. '_And maybe I can have a look at that altar…hehehe…'_Raine thought to herself mischievously, the archaeologist spark in her eyes again.

* * *

"Place the food over there! We must prepare it quickly, unless we wish to anger the spirit without our tribute!" A voice called out as the group climbed the steps to the altar. Upon reaching the top, Lloyd witnessed the Elder directing people with his staff as they placed one of the largest gatherings of food Lloyd had ever seen on the altar. He reined in his hunger however, knowing he had an important task to see to first. The elder took notice of their presence and made his way towards them as people hurried about them. "What do you seek here, strangers? You choose an awful time to go sight-seeing."

"It is our understanding that you are preparing a tribute to the altar?" Kratos asked.

The elder nodded in confirmation. "Yes, for the Summon Spirit. If only we could figure out just what it is that enraged it in the first place, perhaps we could have avoided this course of action. But, if this is the only way to protect my village, so be it." He sighed, eyebrows scrunched together as he remembered the protests of the villagers at having to sacrifice their supply of food.

Colette's heart lurched as she could tell how tough this trial had been on the elder. His age was truly displayed before them, and realized right then that something must be done. After all, a Chosen serves to protect her people, so this was exactly what she was destined to from the beginning. "Don't worry, sir. We're here to help you. We promise we'll figure it out." She stated kindly, giving a confident smile.

The elder smiled, if only a weary smile, at the fledgling angel's words. "If you can indeed help my people, child, I will forever be grateful." He turned to look back at the altar as the breeze blew stronger, ruffling everyone's hair. "It will be here soon…I only hope we've gathered enough. The last time it came, we only had just enough to satisfy it." He remarked.

Genis looked around for a moment before asking everyone, "Um…where did Raine go? She was standing here a minute ago…"

Everyone turned to look at where the professor had been standing only to find air in her place. "Where did…wait…" Lloyd started to say before turning back to the altar. He sweatdropped heavily as he witnessed Raine nuzzling her cheek to the stone altar, as if finding a long lost toy. "For the love of Martel…" Lloyd muttered, not knowing whether or not to laugh or sigh at his teacher's antics.

"Is she…purring?" Sheena asked, also sweatdropping as she along with the rest of the group watched. She knew that the Professor was an intelligent person, but often wondered if that intelligence came at a price of some of her sanity. Sheena wasn't one to judge, but when you see a grown woman embracing a giant stone monument…you have to wonder.

Colette broke off from watching Raine to look around. Lately, she had developed some kind of sense for knowing when something dark or evil was approaching. "Guys, something's wrong. I sense something coming." She said, drawing the group's attention, sans Raine. Right as she said this, a fierce wind tore threw the area, causing everyone to throw up their arms to shield their eyes. Well, except for Raine. She appeared to be completely unaffected by anything going on around her, simply remaining next to the altar.

"It's here! The spirit has come!" the elder cried out, using his staff to keep himself upright.

The alter glowed with a bright green light, the etchings and marking along the ruins shining brightly. When it died down, Lloyd glanced above the altar and saw the air spirit hovering there. Its skin was purple with dark rusty-orange highlights along its stomach and arms. Where its legs should have been was instead what seemed to be its legs fused together into one long muscle, ending as a large half-crescent blade. Two yellow horns sat atop its head, with two tinier horns growing out of its cheeks. The wind was visible around the beast, letting it hover before them.

"Be ready…" Kratos whispered to the others. "We don't know what it's entirely capable of. Stay on your toes." His hand rested on his sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

"_**Well, mortals, have you brought me mine offering? You know full well it is the only reason I have spared you your miserable lives from obliteration.**_" The Windmaster declared, drifting down to meet the gathered populace. His eyes shone with greed as he took in the sight of the food offering. Before he could begin his feast, his eyes turned to observe the newcomers, sensing an odd feeling of power amongst them. "_**What's this? You mock me with this pathetic attempt to oppose me? I will scatter your remains to the four winds!**_" the demon roared. He extended his hand forward and it glowed with a dark green aura.

Kratos sensed the gathering mana and yelled, "Move!" making everyone leap to the platform as where they had been standing became immersed with blades made of wind, scratching up the ground and sending dust flying.

Lloyd landed first and drew his swords before charging, launching a demon fang to throw the Windmaster off balance. When it connected, the monster was stunned for a moment, and Lloyd saw an opening. But before he connected his swing, he realized the Windmaster was faking him out, and raised his other blade to parry an incoming claw swipe aimed for his head. Lloyd rolled out of the way of another swipe as Genis blasted him with a stone blast. The opposing element left a stinging sensation once it finished the attack, but only served to enrage the Windmaster. It charged directly towards Genis, claws extended and ready to swipe.

Colette saw the Windmaster's approach and sprouted her wings immediately, dashing towards Genis and scooping him out of the way, narrowly missing the assault by the demon. "_**Hold still, fleshling! If you will deny me my offering, then I shall make you my meal instead!" **_It roared. It pursued Colette, who did her best to dodge the attacks that followed after her. But before the Windmaster could catch up, Kratos suddenly appeared, blade drawn and held in a ready stance.

"Light Spear!" He cried, launching himself up and slashing at the Windmaster. The blade left small gashes on the demon's body, making it roar in pain. Kratos came back down and leapt to the side as the demon brought down its fists together, crashing them upon where Kratos had been only a moment ago, leaving a small crater.

"Lloyd! We need a plan! We can barely land a blow on this thing." Genis yelled to him.

"Hang on, Genis! I'll think of some-"Lloyd was cut off as the Windmaster suddenly appeared before him, and swung its lower body to cleave Lloyd's in two. "Guardian!" Lloyd yelled, assuming a defensive posture as the protective aura enveloped him. The blade connected to the shield, making Lloyd feel a small impact wave from the force. But the shield held, allowing Lloyd to move out of the way and regroup with Genis and Sheena while Kratos and Colette held it off.

"This thing moves fast! Not to mention those winds make it hard for me to even land a blow." Sheena noted, cards drawn. She considered summoning Undine for help, but wasn't certain how effective it would be. Water versus wind usually resolves with only a draw, instead of winner and loser.

"If this thing is a wind kind of creature, shouldn't earth type attacks work here, Genis?" Lloyd asked.

"They do, but I only know basic earth magic right now. I can only do so much." Genis replied. He made a mental note to try and learn the next stage of his spells as soon as he could. If the difficulty of these fights were increasing like this, he'll get left behind if he wasn't careful. '_I need more power, but what can I do?'_ he pondered.

"_**I grow tired of your games, mortals. Let me show you the true meaning of power!**_" the Windmaster roared, and suddenly span rapidly in place, forming a small cyclone in the middle of the altar. The winds that followed were immensely fierce, causing all present to duck down and try to stay down unless they were to be sucked into the vortex. Pieces of rock from the altar became projectiles, striking any unguarded spot on the group's bodies. Genis at one point almost flew off, but was saved when Lloyd caught him.

"Dammit! We gotta stop this!" Lloyd yelled over the torrent winds. He had stabbed one sword into the altar to use as a holding point, while Genis and Sheena clung to him. Kratos too had done the same, securing Colette and keeping her behind him.

"Light!" a sudden voice yelled, clearing the wind and capturing Lloyd's attention. He tried to turn around, but the fierce winds prevented him from seeking the owner of the voice out. However, he suspected he knew who it was, and was proven right when a golden orb of light suddenly encompassed the vortex, followed by the cry of "Photon!" The orb exploded with light, causing the vortex to stop and sending the Windmaster reeling back. Lloyd and the others stood and turned to see Raine walking towards them, her expression stern and focused. She held in her hands the Ruby Wand from the merchant's store, though how she had retrieved it, was unknown.

"How dare you! You fool! You are destroying the altar!" Raine yelled, catching the demon's attention.

Genis recognized the angry expression of ruin-mode Raine. "Oh, boy…" he turned to look at the Windmaster and smirked. "You're in big trouble now!" he mocked.

Raine stomped the butt of her staff on the ground to enunciate her point, and prepared another photon spell. While the runes gathered around her, she looked at Lloyd and nodded. Lloyd understood the underlying signal, and picked up his swords again, charging the Windmaster. Genis and Kratos picked up on the pair's movements and joined in.

Genis blasted the demon with a Stone Blast, putting as much mana into it as he could. Several stones the size of the Windmaster's head hurtled themselves out of the ground towards him, causing him to flinch in pain from the damaging opposing element. Kratos followed up with a Light Spear, his blade digging deeper than before causing the wounds to draw blood colored a dark brownish-red.

"Go for it, Raine!" Lloyd yelled, leaping to meet the demon at its eye-level, using the momentum to suddenly start spinning. As he moved, if one's eyes were skilled enough to notice, they could see his blades starting to glow brightly, as did Raine's jewel on her staff.

"Photon!" Raine yelled, causing the light to again gather around the Windmaster. This time, however, the light drew itself toward Lloyd, whose spinning had become like a saw blade as he flew at the Windmaster. Lloyd's swords became bathed in the Photon spell's light, and Lloyd swung with all his might towards the Windmaster's midsection. "Tempest!" he called out.

The blades made contact with the Windmaster's skin, and set his open wounds ablaze as they opened new wounds. The force was so strong that Lloyd literally cut through the side of the demon, landing behind him and off of the altar. With that final blow, the Windmaster collapsed to the ground, and the winds slowed to barely a breeze.

"_**How…you lesser beings cannot defeat…me…grahhhgh…**_" the Windmaster uttered it's final words before vanishing in the same way it came, leaving the altar clear of any trace of its presence. Lloyd sheathed his swords and remarked to himself, "It just wasn't your day."

All was silent in the first few moments of the aftermath of the fight. Finally, someone broke out into a cheer, causing the rest of the civilians to follow suit. Lloyd and the others smiled at the cheering, knowing that they had removed a painful thorn from the people of Asgard's side. The elder approached them, a broad grin upon his features. It seemed to relieve him of five years off his life, with the worry of the Windmaster being gone. "If I had not been here to see it myself, I do not know if I would have believed it. I thank you, strangers, for what you have done for this village. Please, we must know. Who are you?" he asked.

"Ah! Our apologies. We were caught up with this whole matter, we forgot to introduce ourselves. My name is Raine, and this is my brother, Genis." Raine answered, introducing each in turn. When she got to Lloyd and Colette however, the Elder's eyes opened wide.

"The hero of Palmacosta and the Chosen One? We were blessed this day for two such noble souls to enter our humble village. My deepest gratitude, kind sir and lady." The elder stated, giving a short bow to each. Colette smiled and waved it off, still not used to the attention, but knowing the value of her title to the elder. Lloyd, on the other hand, was confused. "Hero of Palmacosta?" he repeated.

"Why, yes. The tale of the brave swordsman who came across the sea to save Palmacosta from the evil clutches of the Desians, setting free the people and land, has spread far since it's birth. The new Governor-General of Palmacosta, Neil, spoke quite highly of you, from what we heard from travelers." The elder explained.

Lloyd blushed slightly, not used to such recognition for his actions. "I…I was just doing what any other man would have done." He replied, scratching the back of his head as a shy expression.

"Some would beg to differ, Sir Lloyd. But enough banter for now, come! We must celebrate your victory, with a feast!" The elder exclaimed, causing another chorus of cheers to erupt, this time with Lloyd included with the mention of a feast.

* * *

**With Genis, 1 hour later**

We find the midget mage looking about the ancient markings within some of Asgard's caverns, along with several other tourists and some villagers who were happy to just be outside again. He remembered learning about these carvings from Raine back in Iselia, and how the founders of Asgard had left them there so as to document their presence. Speaking of Raine, she herself had gone off after meeting with another archaeologist, Linar, to translate a piece of the ruins that she valued as being very important.

To Genis, this simply meant she wanted to stare at the ancient rock and likely glomp it.

"Mind if I join you?" Genis turned to witness Sheena walking up behind him, and smiled.

"Sure! I was just looking at these murals on the wall here." He replied, scooting over a little to let Sheena have a fair view.

Sheena stood beside Genis and looked over the various depictions of activities and rituals that the founders had left behind. "So what are these murals exactly?" she asked, wanting to initiate a conversation.

"Well, no one's for sure about it, but we believe they're carvings left behind by the original founders of Asgard. When they first arrived, this entire area was nothing but a giant Cliffside. Over time though, it eventually became the village we stand in today. The altar that we were at was built to pay homage to the Summon Spirit of Wind, Sylph, who the founders believed protected them from harm when they first arrived." Genis answered. He recited exactly what Raine had taught him back in Iselia. "Course, I'm not sure how that wind demon got here, but he's gone now, thanks to us, hehe."

Sheena smiled and nodded her agreement. "Indeed. Say, Genis?" the midget mage turned to face her. "What is Lloyd like? As a person, I mean?"

Genis put on a thinking expression before answering. "Well, Lloyd's really just a great guy. He's been my best friend since I first met him back at our home village. He had asked me for help with the assignment given to us by Raine. He isn't that good at math, I'm afraid, hehe." Genis smirked at the memory of a miniature Lloyd on hands and knees begging Genis for help. Oh, how he enjoyed being the smart one. Genis continued as Sheena listened on.

"He's got a kind heart, probably the most sincere person I've met in the village. He has never lied to me, and always has had my back whenever I needed it. He may not seem the brightest book in the library, but if there's any person I'm glad to have here with me, it's certainly him." Genis looked back at Sheena, who seemed to be looking off into space in thought. "Why do you ask?" he asked her, bringing her back to earth.

"Well, I'm just trying to figure out more about him. He's such a different guy than most I've met before. I'm used to pompous rich idiots and perverts trying to go after me, let alone the usual troublemakers I deal with. I come here and I find him, and I admit, I'm thrown for a loop. But I do agree with you, he is very kind and a great person. I can tell just from what I've seen already." Sheena replied. She kept quiet about Lloyd confessing about his true self to her, let alone he had kissed her. She fought back the blush that followed that thought.

"Well, you're certainly a good friend too. Heck, you saved my life! That easily makes you my friend, for sure!" Genis said, smiling at her. Sheena smiled back. The small guy was like the little brother of the group, and certainly lived up to the role.

"Sounds good to me. You're my friend too. So, tell me more about yours and Lloyd's life. I'm sure you've got plenty of memories." Sheena replied, wanting to hear more about the mysterious swordsman.

Genis smirked. "Oh, boy, do I have loads for you to hear." He soon launched into the stories of his and Lloyd's shenanigans in the past, bringing about laughter for both the summoner and the mage.

* * *

**With Colette, same time**

"One…Two…Three! Ready or not, here I come!" Colette called out. She turned around from her standing point and pulled out her wings. She flew up and began scanning the small area where many of the villagers resided. Colette had chosen to play with the children of the village, witnessing a game of tag and wanting to join in. It felt good to hop back in to the game she had enjoyed playing so much back in Iselia.

"I see you!" She called out upon spotting a foot sticking out behind a building. The owner of the foot dashed out and made a dash for the safety spot, another faraway corner in the area they had chosen. She waited a moment so as to be fair before play-pursuing the child, coming up behind him just barely out of reach. "I'm gonna get you!" she called out.

The child ducked and leapt for the safety post, but overestimated the distance and shot past it, heading for a cliff. The child called out in fear, making Colette spring into action. She flew forward with speed and caught the child before it cleared the edge, and brought him back around to safety. "Thank you, Miss Angel Lady!" the small boy called out.

"You're welcome! Just make sure to stay safe- whoop!" she replied as she landed. However, her legendary luck caused her to slip as soon as she landed, making her faceplant onto the ground. The small boy ran over to check on her, thinking she had been hurt. Next thing he knew, she had caught him and said, "Tag, you're it!" before flying off, laughing.

Another child watched from afar and asked her mother, "Mommy? Is it normal to be like that?"

The mother just patted her daughter on the head and replied, "Well, dear, she is the Chosen One. I'm sure she's just fine." They watched on as Colette continued to fly and play with the children, though she did crash through two more walls along the way…by accident…yeah…

* * *

**With Kratos, same time**

We find our redeemed Seraphim taking a stroll through the village, reminiscing about his past life with Lloyd and Anna. He steps inside a small cave to find where the land dragons for the dragon caravans were being kept. Taking feed from a small nearby pouch and holding it out in front of the beast, Kratos watched as the dragon-turned-vehicle happily accepted the treat. Kratos allowed himself a small smile, recalling how he and Anna had once stayed here while on the run.

**Flashback**

_"Wow…a dragon caravan…I've never ridden one before!" Anna exclaimed as she held her tiny bundle of joy to herself. Kratos stood close behind her, letting down his guard for once around his wife and only son._

_"I have before…though it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience." Kratos commented, sweatdropping slightly when he recalled how he and Mithos had once used a dragon caravan to outrun an angry Yuan, who was pursuing them after they had stolen his cloak he loved to hide in so much._

_"Aww…did Kratos not have much fun on the ride?" Anna turned around, sporting a mock pout for his amusement. She reached up and patted a cheek with her free hand. "Poor swordsman…for someone soused to fighting, it's funny to picture you getting sick from a simple ride." _

_Kratos tried to form a frown, but failed and simply smirked, shaking his head at his wife's antics._

**End Flashback**

Kratos sighed, the smile still present on his face as he walked out. It was one of his more pleasant memories of Anna. And speaking of his son, he should probably go and check on him. But, little did Kratos realize, as he walked back, every woman who saw him fainted immediately, due to the fact Kratos had forgotten he was smiling.

* * *

**Back at the hotel**

Sheena and Genis entered through the door to the main hotel, having decided it was time to go and check on the leader of their ragtag group. They didn't get far before turning around and witnessing Colette follow them in, and Kratos as well, though Genis could have sworn he was smiling at some point. "Have any of you seen Lloyd? I haven't seen him all day." Colette asked Genis.

Genis shook his head as did Sheena. They all turned to Kratos who simply replied, "If we didn't see him leave the village, would it be much to assume that he has not left the hotel?"

"Well, let's see if we can go find him then." Sheena said before turning to the receptionist at the desk. Upon asking for their twin-swordsman friend, the woman merely pointed back towards the kitchen, causing everyone to become a little confused, but made their way there anyway. Once they entered the kitchen, they all froze in place, mouths agape, at what they saw before them.

It was Lloyd, with twin forks in hand, and a giant pile of food on a round table in the middle of the kitchen. All of the hotel's chefs stood aside, all panting for breath and covered in food stains of every kind. "How…can one boy…eat so much?" one asked between gulps of air.

"So, you finally reach the point of no escape. You cannot run from me now! Have at thee!" Lloyd yelled before leaping at the food. It was as if the kitchen exploded, with food raining down everywhere. The group was so spooked by the sudden rush of eating, they all cast their guardian spells to protect themselves from being covered in food. They stood by and watched as Lloyd devoured all that was in front of him that was edible. To describe it is a task that defies even this author's abilities. But they knew one very important thing now from what they witnessed.

Never, ever, ever ever ever ever, deny Lloyd food.

* * *

**The next day**

The group could be seen making its way up towards the cliff homes on the eastern side of the village, Lloyd in the lead yet somehow lacking a giant pot-belly, much to Genis's confusion. How on earth the guy could eat all that he had, yet still maintain the same physique, defied even the laws of physics! "How does he do it?" Genis whispered to himself.

The group was seeking out Raine, after learning from the elder that she had stayed all night at the home of the archaeologist she had ran into. Genis explained that she had told him about the piece of the ruin, and that it may be a clue to where the next seal was located. Knocking at the door, the gentle wind of the village ruffled their hair and clothes as they waited. Genis knocked again, but received no response. "Maybe she left?" he pondered aloud.

"We would have seen her if she had left. Maybe she slept in?" Sheena stated. She walked up and knocked on the door a little harder, only for the door to open inside for them, blowing open thanks to the wind. They each stepped inside and shut the door behind them.

The house itself was rather cozy, kept clean and simple as any villager would keep it. Various books and scrolls lay scattered on the dinner table, open to random pages. More lay about on the floor, causing each of them, especially Colette, to walk with caution as they looked for Raine. They finally found her, and Lloyd had to hold back a snicker at what he saw.

Raine had fallen asleep while sitting in a chair, leaned back with a large tome in her lap. Her staff leaned against the bookshelf behind her. Raine's jacket was splayed over her body as a makeshift blanket. The ancient rock from the ruin was clutched in her hand, and she had a piece of paper also within that same hand. The funniest part for Lloyd, though, was the fact she was snoring, very lightly, and seemed to be cuddling the rock as if it were a child's teddy-bear.

"You know, I sorta saw this coming…" Genis commented, sweat-dropping at the sight of his older sister.

"No kidding…but that's Raine for you. Put an artifact in her hands, and you'll never see it again." Lloyd noted before walking up and shaking the Professor lightly. "Professor? Professor Raine? Wake up!"

She awoke with a start, snorting and almost falling out of her chair, the large tome falling out of her lap to the ground with a loud "WHUMPH!". Raine yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before asking, "Who is it? Linar?" When she opened her eyes again, she recognized the group and immediately straightened up. "Oh, it's you! I hope you all are well?" she asked, putting back on her trademark orange coat and dusting it off.

"Yes, well-rested and good to go. Did you have any luck with the rock?" Lloyd asked. He quickly received a small whap on the head as Raine entered lecture mode.

"First of all, it is not some rock: it is an ancient form of earth, made up from various materials including polycarbonate, but also containing properties that allow it to store and move mana, much like how metal can conduce electricity. I suspect this is how the wind demon could mark his territory, and make it seem as if he was appearing from the altar. Also, this piece dates back ages ago, long before any of us existed. I'm willing to bet it's made from the same materials that the founders of Asgard used to first build the altar, before their descendants kept maintaining and renovating the altar, eventually hiding it. And…" she paused when she noticed Lloyd's blank look. "You're not getting any of this, are you?"

"I get that it's not just a rock?" Lloyd ventured, having become lost in the various terms that Raine had provided.

"Well, it's a start. The most important part of this lovely artifact, however, was the ancient language inscribed on it. Thanks in part to Linar here," she nodded at the now awake archaeologist, who waved and yawned as acknowledgement as he came downstairs. "The words on here describe various landmarks that surround this region. Once we mapped them out, we were lead to one location…" Raine's eyes took on a mad glint at this, "…The Balacrauf Mausoleum!"

* * *

Well, now. That should bring us back on track, now shouldn't it?

Where to begin…well, I should begin with an apology. I had dropped the story due to my life becoming too busy for me to work on it. I was busy with school, senior year, getting ready for college, family and life drama, writing my own book…*sighs* as a result, I had left this behind. For that, I owe you all my sincerest apologies. I promise it will not happen again.

Now that that's settled, onto the good news! I plan on working on this story and keeping on it till it's finished. And by finished, I mean the true end, however many chapters that may be. I also want to thank all of you for keeping an eye on the story, as well as all the newcomers who reminded me that I shouldn't leave a good piece to sit in the dust. Look out, ladies and gents: Raenef the 6th is back in business!

Read and review!


	19. Chapter 19

Welcome back to Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! Yes, folks, this is an update, hehe. In our last chapter, Lloyd and co. had managed to reach Asgard, albeit with some difficulties (echoes of Lloyd's fall down Hakonesia rings in the background) and defeated the Windmaster. Now, our heroes make their way to the Balacruf Mausoleum, and the Seal of Wind.

Now, what did I have happen here…? (Pulls out notes) oh yeah…hehe, that's a good one… (Turns page) HA! Oh, they'll like that… (Looks up to see Metamorcy watching) what?

Morcy: You need to start the show. We got a full house. (Points out window towards screening room full of various individuals)

Raenef: err… (Sweatdrops) I never filmed it…

(Metamorcy also sweatdrops, and both stand quiet as tumbleweed rolls past)

Raenef: I'll start the car.

Metamorcy: I'll drive.

_Now, on with the show!_

Speech-normal speech

_Speech-_thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

_Last time…_

_"First of all, it is not some rock: it is an ancient form of earth, made up from various materials including polycarbonate, but also containing properties that allow it to store and move mana, much like how metal can conduct electricity. I suspect this is how the wind demon could mark his territory, and make it seem as if he was appearing from the altar. Also, this piece dates back ages ago, long before any of us existed. I'm willing to bet it's made from the same materials that the founders of Asgard used to first build the altar, before their descendants kept maintaining and renovating the altar, eventually hiding it. And…" she paused when she noticed Lloyd's blank look. "You're not getting any of this, are you?"_

_"I get that it's not just a rock?" Lloyd ventured, having become lost in the various terms that Raine had provided._

_"Well, it's a start. The most important part of this lovely artifact, however, was the ancient language inscribed on it. Thanks in part to Linar here," she nodded at the now awake archaeologist, who waved and yawned as acknowledgement as he came downstairs. "The words on here describe various landmarks that surround this region. Once we mapped them out, we were lead to one location…" Raine's eyes took on a mad glint at this, "…The Balacrauf Mausoleum!"_

_

* * *

_

**Roadway to Balacrauf Mausoleum**

The band of adventurers were making their way down the winding road that would lead them to the next Seal, feeling fully refreshed and full of energy to take on the coming challenges. Lloyd and Kratos led the way, with Colette and Genis following behind with Sheena and Raine in tow. Lloyd felt quite well walking alongside his secret father, feeling the two were making up for lost time together with each passing day on the journey. Kratos too thought along the same idea, letting his fatherly instincts take reign in his mind instead of the robotic warrior that belonged to Cruxis.

It was with that in mind that he decided to take a little time to learn some more about his swordsman son.

"So, Lloyd…" Kratos started, catching Lloyd's attention.

"What is it, d-Kratos?" Lloyd stuttered a moment, reminding himself that he wasn't supposed to let the rest know that Kratos was indeed his father. He could only imagine the loose jaws that would follow such a revelation.

"Err…" Kratos broke off. Lloyd blinked in curiosity at seeing his dad break off so suddenly.

Kratos had realized a very key thing about himself that he should have taken care to remember. He had spent the past 17 years as an agent of Cruxis, a merciless and powerful warrior, one of the four Seraphim.

Not one of them dealt with how to properly converse with your child, let alone any child for that matter.

And having fallen seamlessly into the routines of the various roles he had taken, being a father had somewhat slipped from his mind. He gave himself a mental slap as he remembered his son was waiting on him. "I was wondering if you could tell me some about your life in Iselia. When you were younger, that is." He finally said, choosing his words carefully.

Lloyd could sense how his father was struggling slightly, but chalked it to Kratos being cautious. "Well, there are a lot of memories I have from back then. A lot of fun ones, as well as serious ones. But the fun ones are the ones I remember best." Lloyd replied.

"Oh? Do tell, Lloyd." The Seraphim commented, prompting him onward.

As Lloyd began his reminiscing, behind him, Genis' mind was pondering, his face askew with thought. Colette noticed his odd expression and giggled lightly, drawing Genis' focus to her. "What is it, Colette?"

Colette smiled and pointed at the mage. "Your expression made me laugh. You looked like you were thinking of a big math question Raine had given you."

Genis scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment before replying, "Well, I was just thinking of something is all. About Lloyd and Kratos." His gaze turned back to the two swordsmen in front of him. Colette followed him and smiled at seeing Lloyd seemingly in the middle of describing something with vigor, using hand motions and gestures.

"What were you thinking about?" the Chosen questioned.

"Well, it's just those two seem to be close somehow. Like, I know that when you go through a lot of stuff together, you become closer. Like this journey. We've been through a lot, and obviously we are closer as a whole. But with Lloyd and Kratos, it just seems to be something more." Genis stated.

Colette thought on Genis' words and found some sense in them. "I think I understand. Raine is obviously closer to me, because she was my mentor while we were in Iselia. She was my teacher and another good friend while helping me learn with the priests. Since Kratos is kind of like Lloyd's mentor, wouldn't it make sense for them to be close?" She asked.

Genis scratched his head in slight frustration. "Well, yeah, but…just something seems odd is all." He continued watching, along with Colette, as Lloyd became more exuberant with his gestures for his tale.

"Wait, wait, just stop a moment. You mean to tell me you actually don't know your multiplication tables?" Kratos said, his eyebrow arched in humor.

"That's beside the point!" Lloyd exclaimed, looking away in embarrassment.

Kratos stifled the snort that threatened to come from his mouth and said, "So you can add up how many opponents you have to fight, arrange how to take on two Desian Grand Cardinals, yet are trumped by multiplication?"

Lloyd turned to look at his angelic father. "Well, if you're so smart, you do it! What's twenty times twelve?" he asked.

"Why, that's easy. It's…" Kratos trailed off, calculating in his head. "It's uh…just a moment…"

Lloyd pointed an accusatory finger at his father. "Ha! You see? Not as easy as it looks, is it?"

An angry tick mark comically formed on his head as he replied, "I don't just know it off the top of my head! Sometimes, you have to sit down and think!"

"Uh, guys?" Genis tried to intervene between the two, now glaring at each other with small sparks forming between the two. They turned to face Genis, heads now much larger than their bodies, yelled, "WHAT?"

Genis brushed off their volume and answered, "While you two have been arguing, the rest of the group has gone on ahead." Genis walked past them as the two swordsmen blinked and turned around to find the rest of the group well ahead. He paused and turned back to add, "Oh, and the answer's two hundred and forty" before walking to catch up with the rest.

Lloyd looked at Kratos before saying, "You still can't do it" and dashing off to catch up with the rest of the group. Kratos chased after him, the rest of the group laughing as they watched.

Unbeknownst to them, in the shadows of the forest they were leaving; two humanoid figures were watching their every move, recording their information on a strange square shaped device. Upon seeing the group leaving the path to the open road, they left as silently as they had appeared.

* * *

**Balacruf Mausoleum- Outside**

"Whew…we finally made it." Sheena stated, looking up at the large ancient structure that was the Mausoleum. Time had taken its toll, the grey and white walls cracked and dusted, with various vegetation visible on the walls. Small tents had been left at the front entrance for travelers as shade from the sun in the sky. The architecture reached high to the sky, perhaps as in respect to the Summon Spirit of Wind to catch the winds of the world.

"The Third Seal…We've come quite a way from Iselia, haven't we?" Raine noted, taking in the scenery of the tranquil place.

"I never imagined I would be all the way here, on the other side of the world." Genis commented.

"Well, we're here now. And we've got a job to do. "Lloyd stated, looking to Colette. She looked back and smiled cheerfully before making her way to the front entrance, sealed by a solid stone door. When Colette drew close to the pedestal in front of the entrance, a slot opened atop it. Raine pulled out the slab of rock from the ruin at Asgard and fit it into the open space.

While Raine was doing this, Kratos was looking about the area, keeping an eye out for any danger. Ever since they had left the forest path, something had been off or so Kratos' senses told him. Something was watching their progress, and he couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. Lloyd noticed Kratos' expression and asked, "What's up? Is something wrong?"

Kratos' eyebrow furrowed as whatever he was feeling suddenly vanished, as if it knew it was spotted. "Something was following us here. I had felt it ever since we left the forest path, but the moment you asked me, it vanished." He sighed and shook his head. "It may have been nothing, but I cannot say for sure."

Lloyd nodded his understanding. "Is it just me, Kratos, or is it any time something seems off, we usually get ambushed by a monster or someone?" he asked. "I don't get why it is you can sense this, but I can't, even though we share the same abilities."

Kratos smiled and patted Lloyd on the shoulder. "Well, Lloyd, you should grant me that I have 4000 years on you in experience, while you've had a few days, technically, if even that much. The ability to sense others at great range isn't that easy to do, though it may seem so. I promise though, I will teach you how to use it properly, amongst a few other abilities."

Lloyd smiled confidently and he and Kratos followed the rest of the group inside to the Seal.

* * *

**Balacruf Mausoleum-Inside**

The inside of the mausoleum had quite a different aura compared to the outside. The air was musky and damp with dirt, the smell of dust and other various scents sifting through the air. A strong breeze blew through the area, entering and exiting through several open shafts far above the floor the group was standing on. Disregarding the open doorway that was letting sunlight in, the only light within the temple was various torches burning brightly, casting long shadows on the walls and floors.

Lloyd entered and surveyed the ground floor, noting that the passageways to the left and in front of the entrance were the same as ever. Yet, Lloyd noticed, there were odd markings on the wall that had not been present before. Long etchings that resembled wind were drawn all along the ways, colored a bright green against the dark green-blue of the aged walls. He turned and looked ahead towards the center path.

Spiked traps trying to rush out and get you? Yep, they were there. But so were the wind designs, colored green as well. They extended all the way down the wall as far as the eye could see.

Lloyd frowned and scratched his head as he tried to make sure that he had not simply overlooked these marks before. Sheena took note of Lloyd's look of confusion and approached him. "What's wrong, Lloyd? You seem troubled." She asked.

"Something's definitely off." He said, turning to face Sheena, speaking quietly. "The temple's changed from how it was before."

Sheena's eyes widened. "Changed? How so?" she asked quietly. Before Lloyd replied, he looked to the rest of the group as they each were looking over the temple. Well, more or less, it was Raine freaking out over being inside such a historical place and Genis was making sure she didn't damage anything. Colette was giggling at the display while Kratos looked on. Kratos caught Lloyd's gaze and walked over when Lloyd motioned him.

"Remember when I said I've been through here before?" he asked quietly, receiving nods from both of them. "Well, these markings," he pointed at the green markings on the wall, "were not here before. I've never seen them, and I'm sure I would have noticed them the first time around. This temple's been altered somehow."

Kratos nodded. "It's a possibility. I don't sense any danger from them. However, I do agree, something has changed. It's not just those markings that you saw. The mana here, the air…it's become a different quality than the past times that I have undertaken this journey."

Sheena put her had to her mouth in thought. "Could our experience with Vulcan have done something?" she pondered aloud.

Before either man could reply, Colette's voice rang out. "Hey, guys? What are you doing over there?" she called, prompting the trio to come back to the group. "Is something wrong?" she asked Lloyd, noticing his confused expression.

Lloyd schooled his features into a gentle expression before replying, "No, everything's fine. I just noticed something I thought Kratos might know about." Colette seemed satisfied with this answer, as they began making their way into the zone.

* * *

**20 minutes later**

A short time later found the group encircled by monsters, skeleton warriors and gargoyles standing ready with their weapons for a fight. They had come out of nowhere, unexpected and without warning when they had reached the middle of the temple.

Lloyd and Kratos stood back to back, blades drawn. They were panting hard, sweat dripping off their brows from exertion. These monsters had been putting up a good fight so far. There were little wounds on any of them, a scratch here, a bruise there, but mostly superficial. That wasn't the problem. While Lloyd and Kratos were strong, the vast numbers were wearing them down. Their mana was drained, and using too many gels would only work against them.

Genis, Sheena, Raine, and Colette were less exhausted, but could feel the effects from fighting for so long. Genis' eyes kept shifting from enemy to enemy; on edge to cast a spell should one attack. While having a large mana pool to draw from was helpful, Genis had been careful so far to limit his output as well. As a result, he seemed to be holding out the best at the moment, though he knew he couldn't outrun the undead if they pursued him. Perhaps the only drawback to being a powerful midget mage: physical setbacks.

Raine's mind was racing as she took stock of each of her fellow allies. All were physically fatigued, and mana drained, though not empty. No serious injuries to immediately treat, which was good news. However, the bad news seemed to outweigh the good. The numerous enemies seemed almost out of place for this area. While each temple had its fair share of monsters and guardians, this many gathered in one place suggested something else was going on. She decided to solve this mystery later; her students and friends come first.

Sheena held her seals up in a defensive posture. Of all their attacks so far, Sheena's seals had seemed most effective. Applying the Pyre Seal by itself, for example, blasted the skeletons off their feet and into other enemies, with very considerable force. The first time it happened, Sheena was utterly confused as she had never seen such a profound effect before when using it. That confusion was soon replaced with a wicked grin as she quickly dispatched large pockets of attackers with her seals, holding back any large offensive move with just one blow.

Colette held her chakrams in a ready stance, though inside, she was nervous. She knew that taking the task of being the Chosen One was a trial of many difficult challenges. However, being surrounded by so many enemies, let alone their being undead, was enough to make her throat feel dry and her heart race. But she knew she wasn't alone, and that fact gave her confidence. She spared a glance at Lloyd, who was breathing hard but had a determined look on his face, and knew she should do the same as him. To not give up, no matter how tough the circumstances might be. She gripped her chakrams with renewed vigor, and waited with baited breath for the right moment.

"Lloyd," Kratos muttered quietly, catching the swordsman's attention, "we cannot hope to move past these enemies if we allow them to corral us like this. They'll pick us off one by one. We need to move to better ground, where we can have more maneuverability."

Lloyd nodded. "I can create a diversion for us, draw their attention to me and allow you to move Colette and the rest to safety. It's not the best shot, but it will get us out of here." He raised his voice so the rest of the group would hear him. "While I hold them off, the rest of you move up the staircase there," he pointed to a nearby one, "and get to higher ground. Once you're there, I'll make my way back to you. Genis, you'll have to help cover me as I go, ok?" The midget mage nodded in affirmation. "Alright, get ready…"

Everyone tensed in the few moments that followed. There was silence, no one moving or breathing. The silence was shattered by a rattling yell from a skeleton warrior, who suddenly charged forward, ancient blade drawn to make a horizontal slash for Lloyd's body. This triggered the rest to move, making Lloyd act as well. "GO!" he yelled, dashing towards the oncoming attacker.

The fallen soldier slashed at Lloyd, who parried and suddenly rammed the skeleton with the handle of his sword to execute his Hunting Beast technique. Lloyd leapt up high above the undead, which paused in their charge to watch the spectacle of the flying boy. Lloyd felt gravity begin to return him to the ground, and aimed for the few undead who blocked their way to the staircase. He came crashing down, yelling "Hunting Beast!" as kinetic energy lashed out at the various attackers, and knocking them back and off their feet. The gargoyles that were caught in the wave came crashing to the ground, staves clattering before they too fell to the earth.

Kratos immediately moved towards the opening, prompting the rest to follow him through. The undead caught on to what their plan was, and quickly pursued to follow. Colette threw her chakrams behind her and caught two undead on their shield arms, causing them to lose their only defense and throwing them off of their idea of chasing. Sheena covered the right side, throwing a Pyre Seal as well as other defensive moves to prevent any undead from reaching Raine and Genis, who ran behind her. Kratos defended the left, cutting off limbs and blocking swords every few seconds, disarming as many of the fallen warriors as he could.

Lloyd recovered from his sudden outburst of energy and leapt over the incoming horde of undead, landing behind them as they chased his fellow companions. Once they had cleared the staircase, it forced the undead to narrow their ranks, focusing them into one area not unlike the living fighters had been in moments before. Lloyd called up a vast amount of mana in his body for the next move, knowing he needed to make this one count. "Forgetting someone?" he called out, drawing the undead's attention not only to his voice, but to the mana he was building up. They turned and began to stalk towards him, some of them recovering their lost limbs and reattaching them back to function.

"Ready?" Lloyd yelled, before swinging both blades back while turning his body to the left. He then swung one blade and struck the ground, unleashing a minor shockwave towards the group. But Lloyd wasn't finished. He quickly struck with his right, then left again, then right, launching multiple waves of energy. "Demonic Chaos!" Lloyd cried out, the waves impacting the undead and breaking them down, their fragile bodies collapsing. Lloyd kept the move going, pouring mana into the attack as long as he could

"Now!" Genis yelled, launching a stone blast towards the undead. Several large rocks knocked the gargoyles out of the air again, others bashing the skeleton soldiers, causing confusion amongst them. Kratos leapt forward and began cutting his way through the undead, slashing and hacking their heads off with keen precision, living up to his once known title as a Battle God. Sheena followed suit, blasting undead off the staircase and into the dark abyss on either side of the stairway with her pyre seals, using her serpent seals to also ensure none would evade their incoming attacks.

Raine and Colette stood back; each launching light spells into the crowd of undead. Raine's Photons drew in the fallen warriors, only to be blasted apart by holy magic. Colette's Angel Feathers cut through them like a hot knife through butter, the swirling holy discs looping around to get another strike in. The mass confusion brought about by all these techniques happening at once caused the undead to be frozen to a standstill. Their charge had backfired, causing them to be cornered between attacks on all fronts. Some even began attacking each other, so lost in the chaos.

Finally, the last undead fell, giving out a long sigh as a final wave of energy from Lloyd finished it off. Lloyd's heart was racing as the temple's echoes of the fighting slowly faded, leaving him to hear only the heartbeat in his ears. Seeing that none of the undead was coming back, Lloyd lowered himself to the ground, almost collapsing, before letting himself get gulps of air in his lungs. The rest of the group walked out to meet him, each of them panting and sweaty and shaking. Well, except for Kratos. He looked no more like he had just gone up a flight of stairs than fought a horde of zombies.

"That was…crazy. I've…never seen…so many attack…at once…like that before." Sheena stated between breaths, on one knee as she tried to catch her breath.

"Such a gathering isn't necessarily beyond expectations, but…" Raine noted, finger to her mouth in thought, "there's normally a driving force to compel them to such an action. I wonder what could have caused it here…"

"I don't know, but-"Lloyd started, looking up. He noticed one of the bodies of the undead soldiers behind Colette suddenly start shaking, and thought it was getting back up to fight again. "Colette, look out!" he yelled.

Colette turned and immediately leapt back as the corpse's shaking became more violent, and everyone tensed, hands at their weapons when the body suddenly vanished into a cloud of green smoke, drifting upward towards the ceiling. The other corpses followed suit, all combining to form a mass of green dust above them and then vanishing.

"What the…" Lloyd muttered in confusion before a bright glow appeared at his right. He turned, one hand raised to help him see, to witness the strange markings on the wall begin to vanish, as if being erased by the same hand that had drawn them there. He, as well as everyone else, followed the vanishing marking all around the walls of the path they had taken so far and it moved ahead of them, going up the staircase and towards the rear of the temple, vanishing in one final glow. "What just happened?" Lloyd asked, voicing everyone's thoughts at that moment.

Kratos glanced at where the corpses had vanished up into the ceiling a moment ago, and then to where the markings had been. "Perhaps the markings we saw were a form of a trap designed that when an intruder entered the temple, it would trigger, signaling the creatures of the temple, like the undead we fought, to come forward and intercept said intruder?" He offered as an explanation.

Raine pulled out her bag and began sifting through it as Colette took in Kratos' words. "But I don't recall anything like that being described in the texts from past journeys. If that had been there before, wouldn't it have been mentioned?" she asked. She turned to the Professor, who was skimming through a book she had pulled out of her bag, flipping a page every few seconds. "What do you think, Professor?"

Raine stood up and walked over to Kratos. "Tell me, the design you saw: did it look anything like this?" she said as she held up the book open to a certain page. Kratos took the book from her extended hand and looked it over a few moments. He nodded in affirmation and Raine said, "I see. Then what we just came across was indeed a trap. It's called a "_committo laqueus_"(1), or simply, a trap of intrusion. It's designed specifically to prevent anyone from getting far into a location if they are an intruder. Once it's activated, it sends a signal throughout the entire area, warning anyone linked to it of the impending danger. However, the only one who can properly put the trap into place is a master inscriptionist of the arcane arts." She closed her book and returned it to the knapsack.

Lloyd blinked as he took that all in. '_A new form of protection for the temple? What else could have changed? And why would it be put in here, and not the other temples? Something doesn't feel right here…'_ Lloyd dismissed it for now, returning to the present. "Well, if everyone's ok, should we keep going? We still need to release the seal, right?" he asked, bringing everyone's mind back to the goal at hand.

Genis nodded. "I'm fine to keep going. I feel a little drained, but by the time we reach the actual seal itself, I should be fine."

Lloyd received various nods and words of affirmation from the rest of the group (Kratos simply "tch'ed" before walking again). Picking up their things, but taking care to remain on guard for anymore traps, they continued onward into the temple. Colette pointed out the Sorcerer's ring altar that lay across the temple once they were atop the staircase, giving the group a goal to work towards inside the temple. After avoiding several spike trap mishaps, including one where Lloyd had to tug Sheena backwards before she was impaled, resulting in her falling on him and everyone laughing at their blushing faces, they reached it, allowing them to alter the ring's power to wind.

"I wonder what we can do with this new power…" Genis pondered aloud, as he held the ring.

"Maybe it can help us cool off if we get hot?" Colette offered simply.

"Or maybe we can use it to clear out the cobwebs in Lloyd's head?" Genis joked, smiling in humor at Lloyd. A small tic mark appeared on Lloyd's head as he swiped it from Genis' hand.

"Or maybe…" Lloyd started, speaking over Genis' protests, "We can use it to see how far we can blow you away, my midget mage friend!" he finished before aiming a blast of wind at Genis in his face. Genis was, surprisingly, actually pushed back by the wind gust, and toppled over backwards. He got back up, his hair ruffled, and kendama pulled out.

"Oh, so that's how we're gonna play, is it?" he said, kendama already bouncing as he prepared a wind spell.

Lloyd was about to apologize when a sharp slap hit both his and Genis' head. They stopped what they were doing and turned to see Raine standing in Professor Mode, hand outstretched. "Hand it over, boys, if you're going to treat it like a toy." She stated, motioning with her hand for emphasis.

"Aww…" both Lloyd and Genis groaned before Lloyd handed over the Sorcerer's Ring to Raine. Sheena and Colette chuckled at the two's antics, and Kratos just shook his head as they went through the open doorway leading upstairs.

They came upon an empty room where four pedestals with a windmill stood propped up on the pedestals, each colored red, yellow, green, or blue. These four surrounded a fifth pedestal, with a white windmill on it. Outside of that, the room was barren, save for the ever-present dust and musky air that came with an ancient temple.

(Author's note: Yes, there were monsters in this section. However, adding in an extra action scene here would've just been a waste of time and effort. So, just pretend they were never there.)

"Ok…what do we do here?" Genis asked. He walked up to the pedestals and flicked the red windmill, causing it to spin slowly in place.

"Hmm…these objects look as if they would catch the wind very easily if any breeze blew through here." Sheena noted, looking about the room slowly. "But there's no opening in the walls or ceiling here, meaning that we'll have to use the Sorcerer's Ring for the wind."

"Oh!" Colette exclaimed suddenly. She had been struck by sudden insight. "It's a puzzle! We have to turn them in a certain order, to open the door!"

Raine smiled at Colette's realization. "Well said, Colette. A much simpler explanation than what I had planned to say. It is indeed a puzzle that can only be solved by activating these windmills in the right order. Now it's just a matter of solving the correct order." She said.

Lloyd leaned over to Kratos as the two were standing back watching. "I don't suppose you would remember the order for this?" he whispered as he watched Raine attempt a random order of the windmills.

"I am afraid not. I was far too busy with guarding the Chosen from any harm that might've come from the temple." Kratos replied as Raine wrote down a failed combination on a scrap piece of paper.

Lloyd blinked as his mind translated Kratos speak to common speech. "So you mean to say, you simply didn't pay attention, then." He stated.

"If you take it as such, perhaps." Kratos replied, taking care to not look at Lloyd.

Lloyd sweatdropped at the answer, thinking to himself, '_He never admits to a mistake, even when he just said it!'_

**5 minutes later**

"Hmm…perhaps we should start with the green? Raine asked aloud, having filled two sheets with plenty of rejected combinations. Lloyd and Genis were wandering about, while Colette and Sheena were working with the Professor on the puzzle. Kratos merely leaned against the wall, eyes closed in thought.

**15 minutes later**

"No…not that one either." Raine scribbled down another combination that had not worked. Lloyd and Genis were now tracing images in the dust on the walls. Colette had chosen to take a break from helping and was doodling alongside the two while Sheena was following Raine's instructions. Kratos was still leaning against the wall.

**40 minutes later**

"Confounded windmills! Stop tormenting me!" Raine yelled at the stone workings before her. Lloyd, Genis, Sheena, and Colette were playing an intense game of rock, paper, and scissors, while Kratos was still leaning against the wall, having not budged an inch since the fun (torment) had begun. Lloyd suspected he was asleep, but knew better than to bother a sleeping Kratos, especially one that is armed.

**1 hour later**

Raine was scribbling furiously, her hair looking slightly wild as she added yet one more combination that had not opened the door. She had been through nearly every variant of the possible combinations, and was really just about to quit trying. While she was pouring over this, Lloyd had borrowed one of Sheena's seal cards and was very slowly, with the utmost caution, making his way towards Kratos. Lloyd's boredom had overridden any instincts of self-preservation, and well, Kratos just happened to be the only form of entertainment Lloyd could think of.

He slowly snuck up to the Seraphim, card in hand and finally paused right in front of him. Kratos' breathing was shallow and calm, with his arms folded in front of him as he leaned against the wall, head forward and his bangs covering his eyes. Lloyd pulled out the card and held it up towards Kratos' head, while Sheena, Colette, and Genis watched with baited breath, knowing if they laughed, the fun would be ruined.

'_Stay on target…stay on target…'(2)_ Lloyd thought to himself, keeping his hands steady. 5 inches away…3 inches away…1 inch away...a trickle of sweat traveled down his forehead as all of his concentration was focused on his goal.

"Lloyd." Kratos suddenly said, making the boy instantly freeze in place. "What are you doing?" He kept his eyes closed, but it was obvious that he was quite awake.

"I was…uh…I was keeping bugs off of you. Yeah, that's it. The bugs." Lloyd proposed, taking caution to step back one step at a time.

"Oh? Why, that's kind of you, Lloyd. I could have sworn you were going to play a joke on me, like, oh, I don't know…put one of Sheena's seals on my forehead?" Kratos asked.

"No, sir…" Lloyd sighed, knowing he was caught. He could hear Sheena, Colette, and Genis snickering at how Kratos was admonishing him. '_It would be a lot worse if they knew he really is my father. That would go over so well with them.'_

"AAAAAAGGH! I give up!" Raine suddenly yelled, falling back to the ground in a hilarious fashion, knocking down the carefully stacked pile of rejects which then fell upon her, hiding her body completely underneath the vast amount of paper. "I can't figure it out…" she groaned loudly. Her head was throbbing from running so many variations in her mind, and just wanted a nice nap. (A moment of sympathy for the Professor…we have all been here before. And it's over!)

Genis and Lloyd walked over and helped Raine up, while Colette picked up the Sorcerer's Ring that Raine had let fall in her exhaustion. "Take a break, Professor, and let us handle it. We'll take care of this." Lloyd said, patting her on the back as Genis got out an apple gel to help her feel better. "Colette, did you find the-"He was interrupted by a loud groaning noise as the doors to the final area suddenly opened. He turned to look at Colette, who was standing in front of the windmills, all five swirling in place. "Colette!" Lloyd exclaimed in surprise. "How did you do that?"

Colette turned and smiled. "I don't know exactly. I just followed an idea in my head was all. I figured one more random pattern of colors couldn't hurt, since the Professor had tried so many herself." She replied.

Lloyd chuckled to himself. "I guess your luck shines again, huh, Colette?" he asked. He turned to face the rest to tell them to go, but was suddenly knocked aside as Raine rushed towards Colette.

"How? How did you do it? I've been working on that for so long, and you just walk up and figure it out?" Raine exclaimed, comically shaking Colette by the shoulders. She continued shaking her in frustration until Genis finally pulled her off of Colette, who was left dazed and confused. She stumbled about as Raine cooled off, and then apologized for her actions. Sheena walked over to where Lloyd was and stifled a laugh at seeing him crying mock tears. "Need a hand, Lloyd?" she asked, extending said hand for him to take.

"Haven't I taken enough abuse from this journey already?" Lloyd moaned before taking her hand and getting back up. He dusted himself off with a little help from Sheena and they rejoined with the group, heading up the final stairs to the Seal room. Kratos watched from behind them all and thought to himself, '_No wonder they pick me to help the Chosen…each group is more ridiculous than the last!'_ before following them.

* * *

**Balacruf Mausoleum-Seal Room**

The group emerged from the temple into bright sunlight and high winds as they reached the location of where the Seal would be placed. It stood near the rear of the room, a wide space standing between the group and the Seal. Lloyd looked about the area and was surprised at how strong the winds were. His clothes pressed against his skin as he faced the wind, his swords clattering at his sides. "We finally made it. It sure took long enough." He remarked.

"Well, if someone would have been nice enough to help me rather than sit and play rock, paper, scissors, perhaps it wouldn't have taken so long?" Raine said, her staff in hand again as she looked about the area. "Fascinating…when this temple was built, this room must have been made in order for the winds to better be felt when visitors came to make offerings to Sylph…" she noted.

"Be on your guard. There is always a protector or guardian of the room where the Seal is. Walk with caution." Kratos stated with one hand on his sword. His senses were telling him that danger was not far behind them, leaving him on edge for trouble.

Another strong wind burst blew through the area, causing everyone to stumble for a moment. This one carried volume with it, drowning out sound as the winds blew by. "Something tells me that wind isn't a natural one!" Lloyd yelled over the gust.

Genis stumbled about, his small frame not having much weight to combat the winds. "Aah!" He yelled suddenly, losing his footing and falling. He was caught by Colette, who gave him a reassuring smile. But it seemed to do little to comfort the mage as his eyes opened wide. "I can feel the mana here! It's gathering, and fast!" he yelled. His senses told him that it was gathering several feet in front of where they stood. "Lloyd!"

Lloyd turned to see Genis pointing ahead of them, and turned to watch as a large green ball of mana suddenly appeared. It gave way to unveil a large humanoid shaped creature, with feathers colored blue, green, and yellow all throughout its body. It hovered above them using wings that extended from the back of its arms, lined with blue feathers that shined in the sun. Its limbs were lined with visible muscle, the hands and feet tipped with sharp claws. The eyes of the beast shone blood red as it gazed at the intruders inside its domain. It gave a loud roar of challenge, and the sky suddenly darkened immensely, the sun vanishing behind grey and black clouds. The wind continued to blow, as the Iapyx awaited their move.

Lloyd immediately drew his swords to defend himself, the group following suit with their weapons. "This one is not gonna be easy…" Lloyd muttered to himself. He was about to launch forward when the Iapyx suddenly screeched again, the call echoing out beyond the wind and storms. Three black lines became visible in the sky, before they drew closer and could be recognized as smaller versions of the Iapyx; only these were completely birds and held no humanoid characteristics. However, they still had the same claws, feathers, and eyes as their adult leader. "Oh, come on!" Lloyd yelled indignantly.

The Iapyx took his yell to be a challenge, and rushed forward to attack, the Iapyx hatchlings following suit behind it. Lloyd ran forward with Kratos as his backup, aiming to try and slash at the Iapyx. It saw their attack and broke off to Lloyd's left, lashing out with a talon as Lloyd's sword missed its mark. The talon scratched at Lloyd, but no real damage was done thanks to the armor he wore beneath his clothing.

The hatchlings broke apart from their leader and launched their own assault on Sheena, Raine, and Genis. Sheena fended it off by rolling to the side and avoiding the hatchling's dive. Raine took a more direct approach and swung her staff as if it were a bat and landed a glancing blow on her attacker, who saw it coming and turned to avoid being directly hit. Genis, however, was caught up in casting a spell, and took a slash in his arm, interrupting him as pain shot through him.

Colette moved to support Genis as Lloyd and Kratos attempted another attack on Iapyx, Kratos trying to bring it down with a lightning spell so Lloyd could move in for an attack. While Kratos prepared the spell, Lloyd deflected the Iapyx's ranged attacks with its feathers, batting them away with his swords. "Say when, Kratos!" Lloyd yelled after another attempt by the Iapyx.

Kratos extended a hand up and pointed two fingers towards the dark sky, and lightning began to flash amongst the clouds. "Now, Lloyd! Lightning!" he yelled, motioning down with his hand as the spell completed. A streak of lightning jettisoned from the clouds above and aimed for the Iapyx, making contact and stunning it for a moment, leaving Lloyd room to attack. Lloyd dashed in and made two slashes to create an opening for a sword technique. He was about to use Sonic Sword Rain when Kratos suddenly yelled, "Lloyd! It's a feint! Watch out!"

The Iapyx suddenly turned and launched a barrage of sharp feathers at Lloyd. Hearing Kratos' warning, Lloyd redirected his attack to repel the oncoming projectiles, his rapid sword strikes deflecting the feathers off and away from him. His final thrust fell short of deflecting the final one, causing it to strike directly in his chest. The feather bounced off, the armor protecting him, but Lloyd could feel the force of the impact, which knocked him back off his feet. He recovered and back-flipped back onto his feet, shaking off the impact and ready to fight again.

Back to Sheena and Raine, the pair had dispatched one hatchling using a combo of Photon and Serpent Seal, blasting it down to the ground where it did not get back up. The second had learned quickly that staying out of range would only serve to harm it due to Raine's spells, and moved in to attack at close range. However, it did not count on Sheena being prepared to defend her, getting in the hatchling's guard and planting a Pyre Seal in its chest, launching it to the ground. It attempted to get back up, only to be cut down by Colette's Ray Thrust, leaving the count two for two.

Genis watched as the third Iapyx hatchling circled above him, ready to make another run at him. But this time, Genis was ready. He began casting his trademark fireball spell, the orange-red runes dancing around him as he prepared the magic. The hatchling caught on to what he was doing and dived towards him, talons raised for the kill. Genis kept the spell going, waiting for the right moment to move.

Colette heard the hatchling's screech of attack and turned to see it heading towards Genis. "No!" she cried out, and pulled out her wings to fly and intercept. Before she took off, Sheena caught her by the shoulder and held her back. At her confused look, Sheena simply said, "Watch what he does. The little guy has a plan."

The hatchling came within a few feet of Genis before he suddenly broke off and dashed under the avian attacker, narrowly avoiding getting a talon to his face or head. The bird swooped down and came back up, turning for another assault. By the time it had, however, it was too late and had fallen into Genis' trap. Genis had finished the casting and fired three bright orbs of fire directly at the hatchling, all three making an impact and catching the bird aflame. It came crashing to the ground and stayed down, while Genis nodded to himself of his victory.

Colette breathed a sigh of relief that she had been holding in, before turning to face the Iapyx alongside the rest of her friends. Lloyd and Kratos had been joined by Sheena in fending off the beast, while Raine kept support up for them. The Iapyx was holding them to a standoff, unable to take them down directly, but not being struck either for any real damage. However, the Iapyx suddenly drew itself up and hovered, looking for its hatchlings. It did not hear their cries, and looked frantically for them. It found them soon enough, all on the ground and not moving. The Iapyx went into a rage at their loss, and moved with surprising speed and knocked Lloyd, Kratos, and Sheena back with a sweeping kick with its long leg. The Iapyx suddenly took notice of how two enemies were far back and away from the others. It took to the sky again, leaving its current attackers to watch in confusion.

Taking its arms and wrapping them around its body, the flying guardian prepared its strongest attack, aimed for the two stragglers, unguarded and easy prey. Lloyd caught on to what it was doing and tried to get up to move and intercept, yet he seemed to be too slow. The impact of the Iapyx's sweeping kick had left his body unbalanced, and struggled to stand up, let alone move. "Genis! Colette! Move!" Lloyd yelled. Raine turned to see Genis and Colette standing back, out of range to be defended. "Genis!" she yelled in fear.

Genis and Colette heard their warning shout, but it was too late to properly react. The Iapyx completed its spell, and uttered a loud screech as a green sphere began to form around the pair. The winds picked up sharply, and Genis realized that it was wind magic, and powerful at that. He only had seconds to react before the spell would do damage. He looked to Colette and saw her terrified look, and knew what he had to do.

"Get down!" Genis yelled, leaping at Colette and bringing her to the ground roughly. He made sure she was down before moving to cover what of her body he could with his own. Right as he felt she was safe, the spell executed, and the winds became like blades, whipping and causing a roar of sound that was nearly deafening. The spot he and Colette had been standing was where most of the spell was focused, and had they still been there, would likely have been feeling immense pain as the winds cut them. However, they were not out of danger. Genis had managed to move them to one of the outermost points where the spell could reach, but that didn't mean they would be safe from harm.

He had to choose: It was either his own safety or the safety of one of his only friends in his entire life.

It took him only a moment to decide.

The winds whipped at Genis' back as he held Colette down, pressing his face into her back and eyes shut tight, doing his best not to let out a yell of pain as they tore at him. It would last only moments, but it still hurt like hell to endure it. Finally, the spell wore off and vanished, and Genis felt the strikes stop on him. He let out a small gasp as he could still feel the stinging sensations on his backside, but did his best to ignore it. "Colette, you ok?" he asked aloud, moving to get off of her, resting on one knee.

The blonde Chosen got up from the ground and moved to Genis, unscathed but worried for her friend. "Genis! Are you ok? Are you hurt?" she asked quickly.

Genis gave her a brave smile. "I've had worse from Raine before. That was nothing. What do you say we finish this fight, huh Colette?" he replied, extending a hand to help her up. She was soon back up on her feet and Genis was likewise. Seeing that she was alright, he picked up his Kendama and turned to face the Iapyx, a determined look gracing his features. "So that's how you wanna play, huh? Using magic against me?" He spoke aloud, and orange-red runes began forming around him again. "Let's see what you can do!"

The Iapyx roared and flapped its wings, aiming to attack Genis again. However, it suddenly felt two sharp stabs from behind and shrieked. It craned its head to see Lloyd and Kratos both stabbing their blades into its back with twin Super Sonic Thrusts. "Oh, no you don't. We're not letting you pull that off again!" Lloyd shouted, pulling his sword out and leaping off the bird, Kratos following suit. Before it could pursue, an orb of light and a cry of "Photon!" suddenly blasted the creature, stunning the avian as the magic tore through it, similar to its own spell moments ago. Another concussive blast hit it, a result of Sheena's Pyre Seal impacting its abdomen, knocking it down and to the ground.

While the rest of the group had been doing this, Genis had been channeling his magic, focusing on his strongest current fire spell. It was finally ready, and as the runes finally returned to him, he pointed his Kendama at the Iapyx. "Burn! Eruption!" He yelled. The ground surrounding the bird suddenly shook, and fire burst upwards, launching the guardian into the air, waves of fire bouncing it and searing its body. It cried out in pain before crashing back down again, landing with a loud thud.

"Lloyd!" Genis yelled to his fellow swordsman, who looked to him at once. "Let's finish this guy off!" he exclaimed. Lloyd couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw a black aura around Genis as he stood there. (Overlimit mode: engaged)

Lloyd nodded and turned to Kratos, who nodded as well. "Everyone ready?" Lloyd yelled, his swords ready in an attack stance. The winds blew fiercely as the Iapyx struggled to get back up to fight again. Colette and Genis began casting their magic, Genis an earth spell and Colette her angel magic, while Raine prepared Photon. Kratos and Sheena had their own weapons ready, and waited for Lloyd's command.

A lightning bolt issued out from the sky crashed to the ground outside the temple, the thunder rumbling loudly above the wind. It was a signal for Lloyd. "GO!" he shouted, and dashed forward, Kratos and Sheena close behind. Lloyd connected first, launching a beast attack to open up the Iapyx's guard. Kratos followed up with a Light Spear, the blade dancing a wicked line across the bird's skin, causing blood to leak out from the wounds. Sheena performed a chain of seals, using Power Seal, then Serpent Seal Pinion, and Pyre Seal, finishing off what was left of any possible defense for the Iapyx.

Then it was the spellcasters' turn to attack. Raine acted first, using her trademark Photon spell to encase the guardian in light before it burst. Colette finished her chanting of the ancient angelic magic and unleashed Angel Feathers, the thin spheres of light cutting through the Iapyx with ease. The guardian was on its last legs, almost out of energy and unable to fly anymore. It let out a rebellious cry and tried to charge Genis, the final attacker.

Genis' eyes were shut in focus as he channeled all of his emotion and mana into this final spell. He wanted to reach that next level in his earth magic, and felt inside himself, reaching for it. Suddenly, a surge of magic hit him, and he realized he had found it at last. The brown runes glowed brightly as Genis finished his incantation, and opened his eyes to see the Iapyx coming straight at him. He met its gaze dead-on, and said to himself, "Pancake time…" before aiming his Kendama at the ground beneath the beast. "Stalagmite!" he cried.

The ground shook again, throwing the beast off balance before a layer of temple rock suddenly exploded from the ground, the pure force sending the creature airborne. It started to return, only to be launched even higher by a second wave of earth. Finally, the spell completed its run by launching a final spike of earth straight into the Iapyx, throwing it up before it finally came crashing down to the ground, hard. It did not move after landing, and Genis' spell remained aboveground instead of receding.

The dark skies faded and the winds died down, the sun revealing itself again. Lloyd put away his swords and walked over to Genis, who was panting hard due to how much mana he had used up in his magic. "Way to go, Genis!" Lloyd said, patting him on the back. Imagine his surprise when Genis suddenly fell forward. "Genis! You ok?" He asked the midget mage after helping him get back up.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Tired, but I'm alright. That was…intense." Genis replied, holding onto Lloyd for support. "We got it, right?"

"Yep! It's gone, Genis. Thanks to you. You were great!" Colette remarked. "Thank you for saving my life."

"Indeed, you did well. I am impressed, Genis, to see someone so small become so fierce." Kratos commented, nodding at the boy mage.

"Lloyd?" Genis asked, and upon Lloyd's nod, "Did Kratos actually just compliment me?"

"What? Do I seem that cold a person?" Kratos replied, the humor evident in his voice.

Lloyd snorted as a reply before turning to Colette. "Alright, Colette. Let's finish what we came here to do."

Colette nodded and proceeded to the Seal, while the rest of the group looked on.

* * *

**Outskirts of Luin-two days later**

The group had finally made their way out of Asgard and towards Luin, taking care to relax a little and rest after their battle inside the Balacruf Mausoleum. Genis especially needed the rest, having exhausted almost all of his mana in the battle. He was now much better, if perhaps still a little sore. Raine had taken care to ensure he was in good health before traveling again, serving her role as older sister and medic for the group. Genis felt almost embarrassed from how much praise and care he had received from his actions, but he had to admit: it felt good to have his ego stroked for once.

Lloyd was happy and expecting to see a prosperous and safe Luin. With Kvar being gone, the Desian grip in this area was far less than it would have been otherwise, meaning that the town should be safe from any real danger. '_I wonder…without Kvar to worry about, we'll be moving right along to the next Seal. I didn't expect to have reached it so quickly, but we'll soon be at the Tower of Salvation…' _Lloyd thought to himself. He glanced at Kratos and at Sheena. '_I'll need to talk to Kratos and Sheena before we get there to discuss what we'll do. For certain, Colette will not complete the ritual, and she won't be converted into a soulless being. But we'll be right under Cruxis' and especially Mithos' nose…'_ He shook his head, dismissing it for now until he had more time later.

Luin finally came into view, and Lloyd internally felt relief as he saw no destroyed buildings, bridges, or any other signs of devastation. The group crossed the bridge into the city and was making their way into the inn when Lloyd noticed something peculiar about the townspeople. Many were looking grim, faces stony and expressions downcast. There were no children running and playing, and on some faces, he even saw fear.

"Kratos, wait. Something's wrong." Lloyd stated, drawing the Seraphim's attention. He took a quick survey of the area and his eyes narrowed as he saw what Lloyd did. "They're afraid of something. They refuse to look at us, even though we give no sign of violence or reason to be afraid."

"What could it be?" Lloyd asked him, but before Kratos could answer, a woman's voice called out to them.

"What they are afraid of just happens to be me, as they should be." the voice stated in a calm, confidant tone. Lloyd and Kratos, along with the group, turned to meet the voice. Lloyd's expression became serious as he asked, "And just who are you supposed to be?"

The owner of the voice was indeed a female, dressed in the blue uniform that signified being from Kvar's Desian base. She wore no helmet, but had on instead a pair of glasses that had green lenses on it, and seemed much larger than the normal pair, with a round metal end covering her right ear. (Think of the scanner from DBZ, but with a hearing piece for her to listen through on her ear, and having two lenses instead of just the one for one eye). Her hair was blue, almost white, and her eyes were a venomous green, peering over her glasses. She carried with her a lance, the butt of it resting on the ground and gold and silver designs running up and down a black staff. The sharpened metal at the end shone in the sun.

"You may call me Cadell(3), Lloyd Irving. And you are not going anywhere."

* * *

1. Latin for Intruder trap

2. Star Wars Reference

3. Means "Warring ethos"

Author's notes: Phew…another long one. Sorry it took a little while to make. I had to alter the structure of the Mausoleum, come up with an awesome fight scene, and create a character that undoubtedly makes your brain tweak as you try to figure her out. And add in humor amongst all of that, while sticking to my plot.

Alright, now a few quick things to note.

First of all, I'm graduated now! Freedom from school! For at least three months or so, which makes me so happy. I won't be going to college till August, giving me time to relax and write finally, hehe.

Another thing I wish to inform you of. Since many of you have been loyal readers, and many of you read and review and let me know how you feel, I have decided to do something for all of you. A challenge if you will. If you feel up to it, I challenge you to create for me a character to put into the story. Now, now, cool your horses. (Mob stops running). We have a few ground rules to cover first. First of all, it cannot be a Mary-sue/gary-stu. I will not have that. Second, this character may or may not serve an essential or influential role within the story. That said, they might do it just the same. It depends on what I see.

I am not doing this because I have run out of ideas for characters, far from it. I am doing this to give you readers a chance to explore your own creativity. Should you be interested, here is what I require:

A name

Good physical description of character

Back-story, if so desired or necessary

Weapon of choice (if they fight)

For or against the group

Two interesting quirks about the character

Send your description to my email, which is on my profile. I will respond if I am interested by your character and want to know more.

You will have until I publish the next chapter to make and email me your description.

Have fun with it, and good luck. And now for a funny bonus scene!

* * *

**Scene 1**

Lloyd received various nods and words of affirmation from the rest of the group (Kratos simply "tch'ed" before walking again). Picking up their things, but taking care to remain on guard for anymore traps, they continued onward into the temple. Colette pointed out the Sorcerer's ring altar that lay across the temple once they were atop the staircase, giving the group a goal to work towards inside the temple. After avoiding several spike trap mishaps, including one where Lloyd had to tug Sheena backwards before she was impaled, resulting in her falling on him and everyone laughing at their blushing faces, they reached it, allowing them to alter the ring's power to wind.

"I wonder what we can do with this new power…" Genis pondered aloud, as he held the ring.

"Maybe it can help us cool off if we get hot?" Colette offered simply.

"Or maybe we can use it to clear out the cobwebs in Lloyd's head?" Genis joked, smiling in humor at Lloyd. A small tic mark appeared on Lloyd's head as he swiped it from Genis' hand.

"Or maybe…" Lloyd started, speaking over Genis' protests, "We can use it to see how far we can blow you away, my midget mage friend!" he finished before aiming a blast of wind at Genis in his face. However, Lloyd made a slight miscalculation in his usage of the ring. He put too much power in it, due to his wish to get back at Genis. The result was an immensely powerful gust of wind that not only picked up the midget mage, but sent him flying through the ceiling, out of the temple, and across the continent until he bounced into the Tower of Salvation, whose aura shield then propelled him back with equal force back to the Mausoleum and into Lloyd.

The rest of the group just sat there and looked shocked beyond comprehension at what they just saw. Kratos moved first and took the ring back, saying, "And that's why we don't give the ring to Lloyd…"

* * *

Hehe. Read and Review!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter number 20…wow. I did not expect to have ever gotten this far into it, to be honest, hehe. This is the longest story I've written ever, so I'm sticking to it.

So, now we've reached Luin, the not-destroyed-but-could-be-in-trouble-later city. Our heroes have beaten the Wind Seal and its guardian, thanks to some epic spell casting by Genis, our resident midget mage. But now we've come across this sinister Cadrell character of the Desians. Who could she be? What are her powers? Well, that's why we have something called reading, hmm?

Also, concerning the little character creation contest I've decided to have, I like what I've gotten so far. Keep it up, guys and gals! Your character could wind up in the next chapter if you move quickly enough!

Now, on with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

_Last time…_

_The owner of the voice was indeed a female, dressed in the blue uniform that signified being from Kvar's Desian base. She wore no helmet, but had on instead a pair of glasses that had green lenses on it, and seemed much larger than the normal pair, with a round metal end covering her right ear. (Think of the scanner from DBZ, but with a hearing piece for her to listen through on her ear, and having two lenses instead of just the one for one eye). Her hair was blue, almost white, and her eyes were a venomous green, peering over her glasses. She carried with her a lance, the butt of it resting on the ground and gold and silver designs running up and down a black staff. The sharpened metal at the end shone in the sun._

_"You may call me Cadell, Lloyd Irving. And you are not going anywhere."_

* * *

Lloyd's brow furrowed as he confronted this new opposition. "Kratos, do you recognize this person?" He asked.

"Surprisingly enough, Lloyd, I do not. This person is not one of the Grand Cardinals; that much is certain. However, be careful not to underestimate her." Kratos replied. Indeed, he did not recognize this new foe, even though he himself had seen many a Desian Grand Cardinal rise and fall, this one was completely unfamiliar.

Cadell smirked at seeing them whisper to one another. "What's the matter, boys? Already intimidated? And to think I've only just met you for the first time." Her grin became more wicked, her eyes revealing a glimpse into the sinister side within. "I can't wait until we get to know each other more."

'_It must be because of the time skip. New events are taking place; it's not much of a leap to think that new people couldn't have been brought along as well.' _Lloyd thought to himself. "So then, if you're not a Grand Cardinal, then just who or what are you?"

"Hmm…my reputation seems to have not gotten very far beyond Luin. After you defeated Master Kvar at the Battle of Palmacosta, I was chosen to replace him as I was his second in command. And as you can see around you from the citizens looks, I've done quite a good job so far." Her expression changed to one of anger. "As for you, Irving, how could you dare to kill such a great man and my master? He was a genius beyond his time!"

Kratos scoffed at this. "Great man? The definition for great must've changed from the last I heard it. Kvar was no great man. He was a madman more like, and deserved to die at the hands of my blade. If you've come seeking retribution for his death, it is me you must face." He stated while stepping forward and one hand on his sword.

Cadell turned her gaze to Kratos and shrugged off his seriousness. "You must be as much a fool as this child is. Besides, your skills are already known to me, Kratos." She put her right hand to her visor and pushed a button on the side. "Play data file BF-197" she commanded. A small beam of light shot out from the visor, projecting an image of Kratos in mid-attack against the Iapyx from the Wind Seal.

Raine gasped. "That's a holoprojector! But I've never seen a mobile one used before. How is that possible?" she exclaimed.

Cadell ignored Raine's exclamation and focused on the data she had. "Kratos Aurion, Swordsman and mercenary. Advanced in swordsmanship as well as magical ability. Known for making quick calculating strategies in battle, as well as often being unscarred from a fight. Weapon of choice is a longsword and shield, as well as basic combat magic." She stated before turning off her visor, making the image vanish.

"How did you know all of that?" Lloyd questioned. '_It's as if she were there herself for our fights!'_

"Simple. I've had my men trailing you ever since you left Palmacosta and crossed Hakonesia Peak. It's your own fault for not being cautious enough to realize you were being spied upon. I know enough on each of you to know your strengths, your abilities, and especially your weaknesses. Before you make a move, I'll know what it is before you even do it." She smiled a chilling smile, looking directly at Lloyd.

Lloyd kept the shiver down that came with that grin of hers, and drew one blade. "It doesn't matter if you've spied on us or not. You can't take on all of us at once." He pointed his blade at her. "Did you count that into your spying? He challenged. Instead of replying, Cadell simply laughed a harsh laugh, causing Genis and Colette to grimace behind the group.

"Oh no! The little boy has found a weakness in my strategy! Whatever will I do? Oh, wait, I know…" she put a finger to her chin as she spoke, "why don't I even up the field a little bit?" she said before snapping her fingers. Two Desian footmen appeared from Lloyd's left, dragging a civilian, the town's priest, by his arms. They brought him forward and dropped him at Cadell's side. She picked up her spear and flipped it around to aim the sharp blade edge at the priest's back. "You know how this goes, Lloyd. Either you back off, or you can be responsible for an innocent man's death." She emphasized her point by poking the priest with the tip, causing him to yelp in pain. She drew back, but not before Lloyd glimpsed a spot of red on the end of her spear.

Lloyd growled but slowly sheathed his blade. Cadell nodded and said in a patronizing tone, "Good boy. It looks like you're not so dumb after all." She raised her tone as she addressed the rest of the onlookers. "You people need to learn how this world works. It's quite different than how you seem to view it." She said, and began pacing back and forth in place.

"You humans can build as many homes as you like, run as fast as you can, marry and have families as much as you want to. But no matter what, you have to remember," she paused in her pacing to point her spear towards everyone in front of her, from right to left in a slow sweeping motion, "we Desians are, and always will be, your superiors. We allow you to enjoy the little comforts you feel you've earned. If we wished it, we could end your miserable existence here and now." She caught sight of a small child clinging to her mother's leg in fear and walked over to her, hands entwined behind her back.

Lloyd kept his eyes on her as she walked towards the child, and tightened his hand into a fist as she continued. "We let you live because you are our playthings. You amuse us, entertain us. You're such a delicate little people that we must restrain ourselves lest we completely destroy you." She stopped when she got to the child and knelt down to be at eye level with the girl. "And believe me when I say, that such destruction would be complete and without mercy." Cadell placed a hand on the girl's cheek, causing her to freeze up in fear. "Such pretty little eyes for a human. Are you afraid, little girl?" she asked innocently. The only response she got from the child was her clutching for her mother's leg more, and turning her face away.

Lloyd squeezed his fist tighter, his hands shaking as he did his best to keep from outright striking Cadell where she stood. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Kratos, who kept quiet but shook his head. Lloyd understood what he meant, and cooled down, though he could still feel his anger simmering within him. To intimidate innocent people, for your own humor, that was bad enough. But Lloyd knew very well she could act upon her threats just the same as she could make them, and hated that he could not act to stop her here and now.

Cadell stopped tormenting the child and moved back to the front of the crowd. "Well, I suppose that's enough for now. Surely you humans will learn to behave yourselves in due time. After all, there's only so many of you left to play with." She stated before turning to give Lloyd one last look. "As for you, Chosen One and Lloyd do take care. After all, I'll be watching you." She stated before warping away, her guard and the hostage still in tow.

There was quiet upon her leaving, as the citizens tried to resume normalcy, but the air of relaxation and joy that had been there previously was now gone, replaced with a delicate tension. Lloyd sighed and turned to the group. "Let's…try to get a room here." He said quietly, still feeling anger, but now saddened at being unable to act. Sheena walked up and patted Lloyd's back gently before walking into the inn, the rest of the group following suit.

Inside was not much better than outside. Upon unpacking and settling into their rooms, Lloyd sat on the edge of his bed, with Sheena sitting next to him. He had his head propped up on his hand in thought, while Kratos stood by the door watching. Kratos knew his son was feeling down after what had transpired today, but wasn't sure what quite to say to comfort him. Colette sat at a table near the bed with Genis and Raine, the eldest seemingly distracted by another book.

"Lloyd," Kratos suddenly said, drawing the boy's attention, "I know that it may not have felt like you had done the right thing today, but I assure you, it was the only option you could take."

Lloyd sighed and stood up, trying to shake off his bad mood. "I know, Kratos, but it's hard to be forced to just stand by and watch as she does what she wishes to. I still feel I could have moved quick enough to save the priest." He replied, the scene playing over and over again in his mind.

"Perhaps. But consider what may have resulted had you moved to act. Cadell could have very easily decided to simply attack the village and burn it to the ground, had she wished it so. Or worse, you might've missed your mark, resulting in not only his capture, but your own as well." Kratos said.

"I want to know how it is that she managed to spy on us. We would have known if there was someone tailing us for so long, wouldn't we?" Sheena asked. She was disappointed with herself for not having recognized any warning signs of their being followed. In Mizuho, one of the chief principles that they operate by is to never let yourself be caught off guard, to be aware of your surroundings. She would have to work to ensure that such a slip-up was not repeated on her part.

"I did sense something back at the Balacruf Mausoleum, a feeling that someone was watching us. But the moment I took notice, it was gone. I had dismissed it as paranoia, but it seems now I was wrong to do so." Kratos stated.

"That visor she had…the one that projected the hologram and had her information on us. I've never seen anything like it in my research on magitetechnology or in any other records. How did she come across it? And why didn't any of the other Desians we've come across have it?" Raine asked, putting down her book finally and looking to the group.

Before anyone could reply or add to these questions, a knock came at the door, causing everyone to glance up. "Come in!" Colette stated, and the door opened to reveal the innkeeper, a woman with brown hair in her mid-forty's, carrying a tray of food. "Forgive me for my intrusion, but I believe you travelers would have liked some food?" She carried the tray over to the table Raine, Colette, and Genis were sitting at.

"Thank you, ma'am!" Colette smiled, bowing her thanks before taking a small portion of bread for herself. The innkeeper returned it with a weary smile, before she asked quietly, "Are the rumors true? Are you really the Chosen One?" Her voice was hushed, as if afraid of revealing some terrible secret.

Colette nodded and replied, "That's me! These are my friends who are traveling with me on my journey."

This seemed to lift the woman's spirits. She turned to look at Lloyd and approached him. "That means…you must also be Lloyd, the hero of Palmacosta!" she said eagerly.

Lloyd simply nodded. "I guess that's a new title for me now, but I just prefer to be called Lloyd. But yes, that's me. Why do you ask?" he replied.

The Innkeeper sighed in relief and grasped Colette's hands. "Our savior is here! You must be here to rid us of this terrible Cadell. Oh, I knew our prayers would be answered!"

"Yeah, about that…just who is this woman? When did she start attacking Luin?" Lloyd asked.

At this, the woman's expression turned depressed. "I don't know who she is, or where she came from, outside of her being a Desian. No one else in the town seems to know either. She started terrorizing us only a short while ago. She takes random civilians with her when she leaves, sometimes only one, like today, others…" she moved to the window to look outside, "…she takes whole groups. My son was amongst one of those groups." Her eyes seemed lost looking out, but she broke off and turned back to the group.

"I don't know why she keeps taking them with her. But from the rumors I hear, some say she's doing experiments at the base. Travelers passing through who wind up nearby the base say they witnessed people doing labor at the base, but they also say they witnessed…monsters…" she shuddered as she finished. Lloyd and Kratos spared a glance with each other. Monsters at a Desian ranch spelled out only one cause.

Exspheres.

"But now, now that's all going to change, right?" The woman asked, turning to Colette with a hopeful expression on her face, eyes pleading. She grasped Colette's hands, her own shaking slightly. "You can bring me my son back, back home…right?" Her voice was strained as she spoke.

Colette seemed a bit startled by the woman's emotional question, and looked to Lloyd for help. Lloyd nodded and approached the woman. "We'll do everything we can to help you. We'll get your son back. I promise." Lloyd stated firmly.

The innkeeper closed her eyes and brushed back a tear that threatened to drop. "Thank you, sir. Martel bless you!" she walked out in a hurry, leaving the rest of the group in the room. Lloyd sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"What should we do now? We can't just leave them like this." Colette said. "If we do, only more innocents will be harmed."

"I'm with Colette on this one. We should help the village out." Genis added in. "If we don't, it could end up like another Iselia."

Lloyd nodded. "It's pretty obvious none of us want to just leave this town to Cadell. I won't allow innocents to be harmed if I can prevent it. But how do we go about taking her on?" Lloyd asked.

"Indeed. We can't expect to just assault her base of operations and succeed. We'll need a careful plan if we want to defeat her. Let's consider first what we know about her, from what we've seen." Raine said, standing up and beginning to pace in the small room.

"We know she is one of Kvar's strongest soldiers, and probably served directly under him. She's also had access to whatever is within that base, so it's safe to assume she knows all the ins and outs of it. Add to that the fact the base will have plenty of soldiers within it, as well as the advantage of having the home ground…we don't have much to work with." Raine concluded, pausing at the window.

Lloyd looked in curiosity at his Professor and teacher. "Professor, since when do you analyze military tactics? You never mentioned something like this in class." Lloyd asked.

"Well, Lloyd, you should grant me that I've been around longer than you have, and I've had access to all kinds of books and knowledge before I got to Iselia. If you read more, perhaps you would know more as well." She replied, adding in the end quietly.

Lloyd heard her and blushed slightly in embarrassment. "I do too read…" he muttered. '_It would help if they had more pictures though…'_

"If we need more information, we would probably have to go to the base itself, no doubt under Cadell's watchful eye. We would have to sneak in somehow, get in, and get back out without being detected." Kratos added in, weighing it over in his head how difficult that would be with their current group. If it were just him, Kratos could easily infiltrate and take down the base himself. A Judgment here, a Judgment there, and nothing would stand in his way. But with this Cadell character, he wouldn't know what to expect from her.

That and, well, using Judgment would probably put his identity out into the open. Just a little bit, but it would still be there.

"I can get in." Sheena said suddenly, getting everyone's attention. Her eyes held a serious glint to them as she continued. "I'm trained in the art of infiltration and spying, enough to be undetectable except by direct contact with me. I could get in and measure out what kind of force she has up there at the base, and then report back."

Raine observed Sheena for a moment before saying, "How far into the base do you feel you can make it? In confidence, at least?"

"At least past the outer defenses and inside the base. I won't go in enough to find Cadell herself, but I can at least figure out for us just how much opposition we'll be facing. Might even be able to sabotage some of the base, if I'm lucky." She replied.

"I don't know…I don't like the idea of sending someone alone to spy on an enemy…what if you get captured?" Colette asked. It went against her ideals to ask someone to do something so dangerous, especially alone.

"Don't worry; there's a reason I was sent to be your bodyguard after all. IF worse comes to worse, I can fight my way out of there and escape." Sheena answered.

"Are you sure that you're ok to do this?" Lloyd asked her. Sheena turned and gave him a confident smile.

"Don't worry so much about me. This is something I've been taught how to do since I was little, back in my home village. Spying is one of the first things we learn how to do when we begin training." She stated.

Lloyd nodded, knowing that Sheena meant what she said. If she says she can do it, then by Martel, she'll do it. "If no one else has any other ideas or disagrees with it, that sounds like our first plan." Lloyd stated. The rest of the group offered no resistance to the idea, so it was decided for Sheena to infiltrate Cadell's base and report back to them.

The rest of the day passed quietly, settling into night quicker than the group expected it to. Colette had chosen to go to bed, wishing Sheena good luck and praying for her safety. Genis had tried to stay awake to see her off, but had already fallen asleep as well, lounging on one of the spare beds in the males' room. Lloyd, Kratos, and Raine were wide awake, wanting to see Sheena before she left and wish her good luck.

"Be careful, and make sure to avoid any of the sentries or guards out there. It may be night time, but that doesn't mean that someone isn't awake out there." Raine advised.

"Got it. Don't worry, guys, I'll be back before you know it." Sheena replied. She had loaded herself up with plenty of seal cards, just in case she had to take out a guard or two to get in.

"We'll stay here and wait for you to return. Remember, if you feel at any point you might get noticed or caught, leave right away. There's no point in being courageous if it results in you being captured along with the other prisoners." Kratos stated.

Lloyd walked up to Sheena and clasped her shoulder with one hand. "Come back safely, ok?" he asked, his tone softer than usual. Sheena could see the care in his eyes and held back the blush she could feel rising from his gaze. She nodded and headed out the door and into the night, leaving the three adventurers to lie in wait for her return.

* * *

**Several hours later**

Dawn was slowly approaching, the sun casting a soft red glow on the sky as Lloyd and the group awaited Sheena to return from her voyage into the base. Kratos lay wide awake, using his angelic ability to ignore sleep to stand on watch. Raine had already gone back to sleep, unable to stay awake but the first two hours of waiting. Lloyd was fighting off any weariness for the sake of Sheena, knowing he had to be vigilant for her return.

"What do you think she'll find in there, Kratos?" Lloyd whispered, not wanting to wake the rest of the group who were asleep.

"I know not for certain, Lloyd. As I understand it, this…time-slip you entered may have changed everything you knew from before about the base. It could've gone from something as bad as it was before to something much worse, or perhaps have become even simpler." Kratos replied.

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked. He turned from the window and the red sky to his father.

"What I mean, Lloyd, is that I don't know for certain. There are many forces that run throughout the world and the universe, many of which are best left untouched by mortal hands. Time is one of those forces. Your passing through the time stream could have affected many things, whether or not you intended it. For example, Cadell's base could have originally been designed to be filled with long and difficult to navigate passageways. But now, it could have been changed to something like an underground base, or perhaps one filled with guards that are much stronger than what you knew originally. You won't know until you see it for yourself to know for sure." Kratos explained.

Lloyd nodded at his answer. "Hey, dad?" he asked again, and upon Kratos' nod, "Did Mithos ever try to go back in time? Like, back far enough to prevent Martel from dying, or to stop the hate of half-elves before it started?"

Kratos' expression turned darker, looking away from Lloyd and back out the window. Not hearing an answer right away, Lloyd questioned, "Dad? Did he?"

Kratos was quiet for a few moments more before he replied. "There are very few things that bring fear to me, Lloyd. If I tell you that I've seen everything, it likely means I have literally seen everything. One thing that made me afraid once was losing your mother. Another," he paused to look back at Lloyd, "was whether or not you were alive after we were separated, all those years ago." Lloyd nodded, understanding Kratos' reasoning. Kratos continued; "But one of the things that scares me the most, Lloyd, was something I witnessed some time ago, long before you and your mother ever came to be. Mithos did try to enter the time stream once. Just once. I will never forget it for as long as I live. And while I know you are curious as to just what it is I saw transpire, Lloyd, I've no wish to talk about it now. Maybe one day, I will tell you, but today is not that day. Not yet."

Lloyd himself became almost frightened just from how Kratos was talking about it. He was one of the most hardened and strongest men he knew. He had witnessed possibly countless wars, battles, and likely some of the myths and legends that he knew of today. But to see him like this, to not wish to even try to describe it…Lloyd wondered if it would be best to simply let sleeping dogs lie. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard rushed footsteps enter the hallway, towards their door. He stood up, bringing Kratos out of his brooding to catch the sound as well.

The door suddenly flung open and in came a battered and distraught Sheena, her hair looking more ruffled than her usual style, her robe dirtied and ripped, body shivering. She seemed to stumble a moment before falling forward. Lloyd moved and caught her, and gasped at how she seemed to be so utterly broken. What on Sylvarant had happened to her? "Sheena? Sheena, talk to me! Sheena!" Lloyd said, trying to rouse his close friend, well more than a friend, really.

Sheena seemed to recognize Lloyd's voice and started, her body shivering more and turning her head to look for Lloyd. "Lloyd? Lloyd, tell me that's you. Please, please tell me that's you." She spoke rapidly. Lloyd could hear the desperation in her voice, and held her close to him, to comfort her from whatever terror had taken her. He looked in her brown eyes, and saw the fear in them.

"It's me, Sheena, its Lloyd. I'm here. You're alright, you're safe. I'm here." He whispered to her, bringing her to a nearby seat and laying her there. He held onto her hand, and she seemed to take it as comfort, as her shivering body simmered down, her breathing becoming less short and quick and more relaxed and deeper. Her eyes never left Lloyd's, who stayed by her side as Kratos moved to bring her a blanket for warmth, as well as a glass of water for her to drink. Kratos considered it good as an afterthought to only fill it to halfway, as the hand that held the glass shook, even as Sheena took a small sip.

They had apparently caused enough commotion to rouse Raine from her sleep, as she came walking in, yawning from the sudden awakening. "What happened?" Raine asked with her eyes closed as she tried to rub them awake with one hand. Upon opening her eyes and taking in the scene of Sheena distraught and Lloyd and Kratos tending to her, sleepy Raine was shoved aside by Doctor Raine. "Is she hurt, or harmed in any way? Any marks, injuries?" she asked quickly, moving beside Kratos as he oversaw the two before him.

"Not in the physical sense, it would seem. Nothing dire there. But beyond that, Professor, I believe fear has become her sickness, and Lloyd the treatment." Kratos replied.

Lloyd wasn't paying attention to what Kratos and Raine were saying, instead looking at Sheena and focusing on her. "Sheena? What happened out there? What did you see?" he asked quietly.

Sheena turned to look at Lloyd, and the fear and terror that had seemed to be fading away, returned two fold to her. She struggled to find the proper words to speak, to describe the terrible monstrosities she had witnessed.

"Sheena?" Lloyd asked again, and it snapped her out of her stupor, returning her to him.

"I saw…" Sheena started, and Lloyd leaned closer to hear her soft voice.

"Evil."

* * *

Author's notes: Before you say anything, yes, I'm aware the chapter was short. I thought to add in the part about what Sheena witnessed inside the base, but I felt that would serve better in the next chapter. That and I figured you have gone long enough without an update, granted it's with filler.

So, you're left with a cliffhanger and a flashback to come. What terrible things have happened within Kvar's base under Cadell's influence? What could terrify someone like Sheena? Will Lloyd and his group be able to meet this incoming challenge?

On a side note, so far, I have received five or six character profiles, all of which have been well-written and each with many, many potential uses. Believe me when I say I had to take pause with each to consider how each could possibly affect the story, and I found each profoundly can and in creative ways. Therefore, I'd like to ask you, my readers, to keep sending more in. The more I have to work with, the better this story could be made. Part of it depends on you and how hard you're willing to try.

Until next time, ladies and gents. Read and Review!


	21. Chapter 21

Greetings, everybody! Welcome to chapter 21 of Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance. We last left off at a cliffhanger, with Sheena returning to the Inn at Luin, only able to speak of terrible things she had forced to be witness to within the halls of Cadell's fortress. What are these terrible things that could render a Kunoichi to such a state? You'll just have to read to find out, won't you?

On a side note, I have written in two of the characters that have been emailed to me for this chapter. The timing for them could not be better, and I foresee many uses for them in the future. This chapter is also long, much longer than the last chapter, so make sure you're comfy when you sit down to read it. I recommend a pillow or two.

Now then, on with the show!

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

**Flashback- several hours ago**

The way and art of the shinobi life consists of many various skills and learned instincts that are used to help said shinobi adapt to their environment, situation, and enemies. With each individual shinobi comes a variation of methods and techniques for them to use in the tasks set before them. They train, train efficiently, endlessly, repeatedly, to insure that there can be no mistake when used out in the field of battle, or in the shadow of battle, as it may be. Stealth, assassination, spying; all of these things are part of the way of life for the various shinobi and Kunoichi of Mizuho.

Sheena Fujibayashi was no exception to this rule.

From the beginning, Sheena demonstrated a natural feel for stealth and spying, even at an early age in avoiding being caught with food that may not have necessarily been her own food. She could feel by instinct where to hide in the shadows to not be noticed, how to control her breathing, and how to hide in plain sight. As time passed and she grew, she presented an excellent talent for information gathering, having been credited by the Vice-Chief personally for discovering a hidden agent planted inside Mizuho by a rival village, who intended to finish off the comatose Head Chief of Mizuho as a means of weakening Mizuho as a whole. Sheena was cautious to not let the achievement go to her head, as she reminded herself that it was her doing that caused the Head Chief to be in a comatose state.

Finally, Sheena was recognized as a full-fledged and accomplished Kunoichi, when she was approached by the leader of the Renegades, Yuan, to seek out and protect the Chosen of Sylvarant. At first, Sheena was utterly confused by the idea, as she understood that Sylvarant was the world that was draining mana away from Tethe'alla, due in part by the ritual of the Chosen carried out by their world as well as her own. She questioned the purpose behind the task, but was told that it was part of a plan that would end up protecting Tethe'alla, rather than helping to shelter a threat against it. That task had now led her to here, the outskirts of the base of one of the Desian Grand Cardinals, in order to spy and gain information on the base and the Desian forces within.

From her view within the tree she had taken refuge in, the front entrance was heavily guarded, with cameras posted on the front that scanned an estimated 180 degrees from left to right, as well as armed guards who stood at attention in front of the main gates. Sheena had expected this, as most bases of this sort would guard the front entrance to insure no one simply walked in. Otherwise, what would be the point of security when someone could walk right in? (cough Triet Renegade base cough)

'_I'll have to take another entrance to get inside…the best bet would be somewhere along the sides, out of view of the cameras and the guards.'_ Sheena thought to herself, leaping from her hiding spot through the trees to try another entry point. As credit to her skill, not even a single leaf rustled in the wind left by her departure, allowing her to move quickly without being seen. Soon enough, Sheena discovered a small opening, a ventilation shaft along the eastern wall, though it was higher than some of the trees nearby could reach (1). Pulling out a Pyre Seal, Sheena threw it towards the covered shaft, using a minimal amount of mana so as to avoid making noise. The seal did its work, causing the cover to slide off and hit the grass quietly. Sheena decided to move quickly before a patrol came around to discover what she had done, leaping from the tree to the wall and then using her momentum to run up the wall until she caught the entrance and leapt inside.

'_Piece of cake.'_ Sheena thought as she slipped inside. Unbeknownst to her, a small red butterfly fluttered outside the base, pausing over the fallen grate and then floating up to the small entry, before flying away…

* * *

Once inside, Sheena was immediately on guard to watch for any wandering soldiers, taking care to silence her own steps as she made her way into the base. The constantly bright lights lit the hallway from beginning to end, causing no shadow to exist behind Sheena as she walked. Reviewing the quickly made plan she had made while observing the front entrance to the base, Sheena's first objective was to locate a computer or terminal somewhere within the base that would allow her to see at least the makeup of the fortress. It would be handy to know where the prisoners are located and be able to find them, as well as any other points of interest Sheena could check out or avoid entirely.

The hallway she had broken into was empty at the time, containing only a few supply closets and extra materials and such. Moving along, Sheena progressed further into the base, and found herself quickly becoming more and more bored out of her mind at the repetitive colors and paint that adorned the walls surrounding her. She avoided a patrolling robot unit, doubling back into a hallway when she saw the floating machine make its way along whatever path it had been given to follow. '_Does this place ever end?'_ Sheena thought to herself after the machine passed. She only had to travel another hallway before finally locating a room with a large computer system within it (2). '_Yes!' _She quickly slipped in as the doors shut behind her.

Approaching the large machine before her, Sheena went to work on trying to pull up a map of the facility. But, when it began to download and present the image, it suddenly paused and requested an I.D and password combination to continue. Sheena cursed under her breath, and was about to try and bypass the request, when she heard loud footsteps followed by a voice outside the door she had just come from. Sheena immediately rushed out of view from the doorway, moving to crouch beside another large machine within the room, its bulkiness providing her with adequate cover.

"Why am I always the one who has to get monitor duty these days? Not once have I seen any of the rest of the guys come in here and scan the cameras for any trouble. No, it's always Leo who has to do it, while everyone else gets to go outside and enjoy fresh air while I'm stuck with fluorescent lights and floating scraps of junk." The now aptly identified Leo complained as he entered the room. The usual rotation for the guards was to let most of the one's with experience outside to go on patrol, in case of anyone wanting to try and spy on the fortress, while younger ones, like Leo, were kept inside and left to do the jobs and tasks that nobody had time to do, a.k.a, doing all the footwork while the rest get credit. Leo looked up from his complaints to himself and noted that the main computer for the base was up and running, and had been abandoned in the middle of a task. '_Likely by someone else whose as bored as I am in here'_, Leo thought. He approached the computer with the intention of ending the program and going about his task, pulling out his I.D card to gain user privilege.

Sheena noticed the Desian pulling out a small plastic card key from his pocket, and realized that must've been the I. D she needed in order to access the computer. She waited till the right moment before suddenly dashing out from her hiding spot, appearing on the Desian's left side and shooting a quick but strong hit where his kidney was located. Such a hit caused the guard's body to be stunned for a moment, unable to speak save for letting out a small cry of pain. Sheena quickly followed up with a leg sweep, knocking him to the floor, his helmet and armor clattering as they met the metal floor. "What the-?" he managed to say before Sheena silenced him with a swift chop to his neck, hitting a bundle of nerves that caused instant unconsciousness.

Sheena picked up the dropped card key and looked down at the fallen Desian. "I'm getting a little sloppy. He managed to get two words out before I knocked him out." She commented to herself before heading back over to the comp. She swiped the I.D card into the slot and was rewarded with the access denied screen being replaced with a password requirement. Sighing, Sheena was about to go search the Desian again when she noticed writing on the backside of the card. Flipping it over, she saw the word Cadell written in sloppy handwriting. Deciding to go with it, she typed it into the computer and watched as a map of the base and all its contents were revealed to her. '_Jackpot!'_ Sheena cheered mentally as she scanned over the map's basic details. Once she could retrace it in her mind's eye with her eyes closed, Sheena began to try and get more information out of it, but stopped when she heard more footsteps coming. '_Why is it when I don't need someone to come out, that everyone decides to come visit the computer room?'_ the Kunoichi thought before she made a dash for another door nearby the computer.

The doors slid open, but Sheena took only one step inside before suddenly jumping back in. The room adjacent to the computer room was filled with guards watching over some of the inner machinery of the base. There wasn't any room to hide in there. Thinking fast, Sheena looked for another exit, but failed to see any anywhere aside from the two she already knew were covered. The doors from the first entrance began to slide open, and Sheena's breath hitched in her throat. '_Crap!'_

"I'm telling you, the guy needs to get out more and do more stuff. He's getting cramped in here and if we're not careful, he'll probably quit." Dean stated as he entered the computer room with Felicity. He had chosen to come and get Leo out from doing lacky duty, feeling pity for the guy. No one enjoys it; so of course, they normally leave it to the lackeys. He got Felicity to come with him just in case he needed to explain to a superior officer what they were doing.

"Sure, of course he can go do that; if he wants Cadell to hunt him down and mount his head on the wall." Felicity replied. "But whatever; If you can sneak us off from guard duty, I'm happy to come along."

"See? I knew you would agree to-Leo?" Dean dashed forward, seeing his comrade lying unconscious on the ground. "What happened? Leo?" he asked, but received no response from the out cold soldier.

Felicity walked up and checked his neck for a pulse. "He's alive and breathing. It looks like he got knocked out by something though. Maybe a droid came in here and mistook him for an enemy?" she suggested.

"Dunno. But just to be safe, let's activate a general alert, in case it's an intruder running around here." Dean replied. Felicity nodded and she helped Dean to lift Leo's body and get him to the infirmary.

Meanwhile, up above the room, Sheena watched the scene play out from her prime spot within the ventilation shaft. She had jumped up in time to avoid being spotted, but was cautious to not even sigh in relief as the Desian soldiers left the room. Before she could relax, she heard a loud, klaxon alarm ring through the base, followed by the announcement of "General alert-level one. All soliders be on the lookout for intruders. Use force to apprehend if necessary. All computer systems save those for security purposes are now on lockdown." Sheena cursed under her breath at the last sentence. That meant that she couldn't use the computer that was sitting right beneath her unless she wanted to give away her position.

"I guess it's time to do a little reconnaissance work from up here." She muttered to herself before beginning to crawl through the shaft. She took her time, as she didn't want to make it obvious that the intruder was right above everyone's heads. She thanked the elemental spirits that she had learned stealth as well as she had, and continued moving through the base. She kept in mind that while she was here to get information, she needed to be looking for a route of escape to take to get back to Luin.

Sheena recalled the map she had memorized from the computer and took a left at the first intersection of vents, intent on locating either the prisoner's quarters, or perhaps a weapons area to better know what she and the rest of the group were up against. She never took notice of another red butterfly that flew up to the ventilation shaft the same way she had came and watched her crawl through, before fluttering away…

* * *

Approximately 15 minutes later, and after much wiggling and complaining about her figure fitting into the shaft, Sheena came across what she believed to be the holding cells for the prisoners. There were several cells contained within a large room, with many civilians inside each, dressed in ragged, dirty clothes that the Desians provided for them. Sheena was quickly reminded of what she was doing this for, and carefully removed the cover to the vent leading out and into the room. There were no guards present in the room, possibly due to everyone searching for the alleged intruder in the rest of the base. After all, no intruder would go straight for the jailing cells, or so their logic told the Desians. The civilians all gave soft gasps and exclamations as Sheena suddenly appeared before the cell door.

"You…you're the intruder that the alarm mentioned!" A young woman exclaimed from within the cell. Sheena nodded and they gave quiet sighs of relief and praise to Martel that someone had finally come. "Are you here to break us out?" another voice asked, this time an elderly man.

"I wish that I was, but I'm afraid not. I'm not capable of taking on an entire base alone. I came here to gather information on the forces here, as well as Cadell herself, if possible. Can any of you tell me anything relating to either of those?" Sheena replied, speaking softly but with urgency. She didn't know how long she had before the guards might return to check on the prisoners.

At first, there were general no's and shaking of heads, which made Sheena feel that she may have to attempt using a computer after all. But then, she heard someone say that they could answer her questions, and she looked up and down the cells for the owner of the voice. She witnessed a hand waving two cells down, so she rushed over to find a young man there. He had medium length brown hair, enough to cover his eyebrows and ears, though Sheena could see glimpses of white mixed in the brown hair. He seemed fairly tall, approaching 5'10, and his body was well-toned, probably due to work on farmland nearby Luin. "Who are you?" Sheena asked. She felt a little put-off by the glare he seemed to be sending her, though she chalked it up to the fact he was imprisoned while she was not.

"The name's Toshio Cosine (3). You said you were lookin' for information on the people here?" Toshio replied gruffly. His voice was deep, close to Kratos', but with a sterner edge to it. At Sheena's nod, he continued. "If you're lookin' to bring a fight to Cadell and the Desians here, I hope you have good backup. You'll need it."

"Trust me, we can handle it. Can you give me any solid numbers or maybe details about the soldiers here?" Sheena questioned.

Toshio seemed to weigh it in his mind for a moment, the glare never receding, before answering, "Numbers wise, I can't say for sure. I know Cadell has more machines here than men. Seems to prefer them to real people. As for the soldiers themselves, nothing too special about them, aside from the usual standard weapons they keep. But the machines are what give Cadell most of her power and workforce."

Sheena nodded and said, "Thanks. Knowing all this will help us to fight her and get all of you out of here. You can count on it." She gave a short polite bow before running off towards a side doorway at the end of the cells. But before she got far, Toshio called her back. "What is it?" she asked.

"There's one last thing you need to know. About Cadell." He replied. If anything, his glare seemed to become more intense, as if fueled by his memories. Sheena fought back the urge to shiver, but nodded for him to continue. "There are things here that are worse than either the soldiers or the machines, even Cadell herself. Much worse. You better hope you don't run into them."

Sheena felt eerie at hearing him speak of whatever secret the base held within it. '_Something worse than Cadell and the soldiers? What could that be?' _She thought to herself before nodding and then dashing away, storing the info for later.

Toshio watched Sheena vanish through another doorway before sighing and leaning back against the wall of the cell. '_Dunno if that did her any good or not, but maybe she'll be the one to break us out of here. At least, I hope she can…'_ he thought before choosing to let it go for now and just wait and see.

* * *

**10 minutes later**

'_Dammit, dammit, dammit!' _Sheena thought frantically as she fled as quickly as she could down another hallway. She had managed to sneak through the rest of the base undetected, trying to find herself an exit way, but with no avail. She had turned down one hallway with red lines, hoping it might be one leading to an exit (4). However, her luck seemed to fall out on her, as what she found were two more Desian guards walking the halls, no doubt looking for the alleged intruder, a.k.a Sheena. She had managed to dispatch them without any trouble, but not before someone else had taken notice of the noise from her location and yelled for others to come and check it out.

This led her to now fleeing from possibly many more guards than she could take on and win, running down a hallway with green stripes. She could hear many footsteps of several soldiers approaching, and chose to dive into a doorway, hoping that it was just another supply closet. The doors quickly shut behind her as she rolled into her dive, coming back up on her feet, panting. Wiping sweat from her brow, she thanked She had managed to avoid being caught, but now where was she? Turning around, Sheena surveyed the room, and felt a growing sense of dread build within her.

There were many, many machines within this room. Some towered over her head by a good height, lined with switches and lights enough to possibly confuse even Raine. The normally bright lights the rest of the base had seemed to have skipped over this room, since it appeared darker in her opinion. Shadows cast by the machines extended every which way inside the room, causing Sheena, out of paranoia, to be wary of approaching any of the far away and shrouded ones she couldn't see very clearly. Hiding in the shadows is one thing: it's another when you know full and well that something could appear right out from behind the shadow you hide within. Several large metal cables extended from machines to a small platform in the middle of the room, where a large vat that was green and see-through was placed with the cables connecting to it at its base. It was as if she had stepped into a mad scientist's laboratory, Sheena told herself, only to remember that the man who originally built this place, was indeed a mad scientist. (5)

"What is this place?" Sheena whispered to herself, approaching one of the nearby computers. There was no indication of just what these computers were for, and Sheena was certain she wouldn't dare touch them for fear of setting off another alarm. "Something tells me I shouldn't stay here…" she stated before turning towards the door to walk out. She took three steps before she heard a voice she had hoped upon hope to not hear.

"I told you, I do not care if one of the soldiers was unconscious at his station. The lazy slacker was probably asleep at his post, and should be reprimanded by you, commander, not me. I expect you to keep those soldiers in line, because if you do not, I can assure you that they, along with you, will be disposed of quite easily. Now, get out of my sight!" the sinister voice of Cadell bellowed, shortly followed by the sound of running feet away from the door. Thinking quickly, Sheena made a dash for one of the taller machines by the wall, seeking refuge behind it and within its shadow, out of sight.

The automatic doors opened and in strode Cadell, followed by a figure whose features were hidden by a brown cloak, but stood at a height akin to Genis'. She could make out black bangs of hair that peeked out from the shadow of her hood, but couldn't get any more detail than that without risking her hiding place. Sheena watched as Cadell strode up to the computer that she guessed was the main control for whatever purpose this room has. "Bring in the test subject." Cadell called out over an intercom, and was soon presented with the priest she had taken from Luin only a short while ago. An exsphere had been placed without a key crest into his left hand, causing visible scars to appear all around the exsphere on his hand.

Sheena's hand balled into a fist as she recognized the prisoner, but managed to keep calm and stay focused. It wouldn't do her or anyone else any good to just leap out and try to rescue the man. No, she would have to remain within the shadows.

"P-please, for martel's sake. Please, stop hurting the townspeople. We've done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve such animosity. Take my life if you wish, but spare them. I beg you!" the priest begged. Cadell paid him no heed and instructed the guards to place him within the container. Once it was shut and locked into place, Cadell pulled a lever on the console, causing the bottom of the container to open and green liquid to pour in. The priest panicked, thinking he was going to drown. He banged on the glass frantically, the water rising past his midriff, his chest, until the entire chamber was full. He closed his eyes and held in what he believed to be his final breath, and when it finally came that he had to breathe again, he opened his mouth and awaited death to take him. Imagine his surprise when he found that he wasn't just alive, but capable of breathing completely normally in the liquid.

"Wh-what is this?" he asked, his voice muffled by the container.

Cadell simply smirked and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Did you really think I would just drown you, father? Kill you in such a simple manner? No, I have many more uses for you." She stated, laughing a small evil laugh that promised much worse to come for the devout man. Sheena looked on as Cadell seemed to type in a code for a program on the computer, which caused some of the machines to come to life. Robotic arms extended and bent to position themselves around the container, some having clamps while others appeared equipped with some form of laser or beam. As each second passed of the strange experiment before her, Sheena's foreboding feelings of danger grew. It made it worse that she was unable to act, incapable of helping this man, left only to watch and observe from behind the machines.

"Entering phase two. Preparing to inject subject with zaelithirium (6)." Cadell stated. For Cadell, talking about the experiment being carried out before her usually helped her to enjoy her scientific endeavors. It was her, after all, who had furthered Lord Kvar's research into exspheres, so it should be her right to oversee and partake in the experiment. That and it helped to keep the room less quiet. Oh, the screams and begging and pleading of her subjects were quite loud, for certain, but she grew bored with them often after listening for a minute or two.

A small needle suddenly extended from within the container's base up to shoulder height, containing a dark liquid that was soon emptied through an injection by the needle into the man's arm. He yelped out in pain and the needle soon disappeared back from where it had came from just as quick as it had appeared. The priest suddenly became much less energetic, his movements slowed and lethargic. He had stopped trying to beg for mercy and was quiet, though his hand did keep pressing against the glass in a futile effort of escape. Sheena nearly let out a small gasp as she watched small red lines extend from the injection point towards the exsphere in the priest's hand. It followed the course of his veins, and seemed to divert into the small cracks that had formed around the exsphere. The injected fluid then glowed with a bright blood red hue before the priest suddenly let out a scream, its sound muffled by the liquid and container.

He thrashed about in the vat like he was possessed, clawing at the glass and bashing it with his arms wildly. The afflicted man kept struggling in the liquid, and Sheena's eyes widened as he began to…transform? Yes, his appearance was beginning to alter within the container. His hands began to darken to a sickly green as his fingernails became claws. The new color spread quickly throughout his body, changing his skin tone to a much darker shade, nearly matching the liquids he was contained with. His clothes began to tear as he ripped at them, and he grew in size. His arms and legs expanded, stretching his clothes to their limits as they tried to accommodate what was happening. Through all this, the priest had not ceased screaming, but his voice and tone had grown steadily deeper, more bestial as the process continued. Cadell wasn't even bothered by what happened before her. To Sheena's horror, she was grinning. Like a child being presented with a new toy to play with.

The transformation continued, pushing the priest beyond what defined a human being into something like that of a nightmare. His facial features began to distort and fade away, while his skin turned even darker green. Yellow lines began to skitter up and down his arms, while his legs became bent. His feet grew claws, and seemed to change no more, while the rest of his body finished. On his head, all of his hair was now gone, and his facial features, his mouth, his nose, his eyes, were all gone, replaced by a single red orb. The once-human priest was gone, now replaced by what was, in Sheena's mind, a terrible being. It uttered a final cry before going silent, its arms falling to its side as it lay still.

All was quiet within the room, and Sheena was struggling to remain in her spot any longer. Her stomach was churning; sickened by the display she had just been forced to sit through. Her legs and hands were shaking. She had seen enough. She wanted to flee, and to never return to this Martel forsaken place. Forget just defeating Cadell; the entire base needed to be destroyed, with this room being the first to go.

"Well, well. He survived phase one and phase two. I am impressed." Cadell commented. "I wonder if he can withstand phase 3, or should I simply save him for the prisoners as an example? Decisions, decisions…" she appeared to consider it a moment before turning to her cloaked companion. "Mio, how many of the Exbelua survived the transformation process to reach Psybelua form?" she asked.

Sheena's eyebrows furrowed as she racked her mind. '_What in blazes is a Psybelua?'_

The now identified Mio didn't remove her cloak, but answered quietly, "5, Lady Cadell. The rest either exploded from the attempt, or did not survive the transformation."

"Hmm…only 5…an even 6 would be better, wouldn't you say so, Mio?" Cadell asked. The girl did not reply, but kept observing the newly created Exbelua before them. "I knew you would agree, Mio. Prepare the subject for the third phase." Cadell ordered into the intercom. Several guards suddenly rushed in, and took post all around the container that held the creature. "Bring in the mineral sent by Rodyle. And handle it with caution, you fools. I don't want any accidents like before."

The doors behind Cadell slid open a few moments later, revealing two guards bringing in a large container that was moved through the use of a floating carrier. As Sheena looked on, she watched as the guards brought it in her direction, and realized they were going to use the machine she was hiding behind. Her heartbeat began to race as they drew closer. When they stopped, Sheena breathed a small, quiet sigh of relief, hearing them open a hatch of sorts and loading it into the machine. "Very good, gentlemen. Now, stand back and away from the machine. I want nothing touching it during this process." Cadell ordered, and the men quickly moved aside and out of the way. "Begin phase three. Fire the mineral upon the subject on my mark." At her words, Sheena felt her cover began to come to life, energizing and preparing to complete whatever task it served.

Sheena remembered Cadell warning her guards not to touch the machine, and made sure that absolutely no part of her would be touching it either. She was prepared to make a break for it, ready to leave this hell-hole and get back to the others. She had the means to do so through the guardians she still had on her. But, if she used them now, she wouldn't be able to get anymore until she returned to Mizuho. And something told her she was going to need these guardians later on.

"Three…Two…One…Execute." Cadell called out. Sheena turned away from the container, not wanting to let her mind be scarred by anymore terrors of Cadell and her madness. She closed her eyes and shut them tight, her hands covering her ears to muffle out any noise she might hear. The only sound she could hear now was the blood pumping through her ears, and Sheena was grateful it was the only thing she could hear. But it was for naught as the creature that was within the container started screaming again, letting out high pitch squeals and yells that while not in any language she knew, she knew them to be screams of pain and agony. Sheena dared to open her eyes for only a moment after a minute had passed, and had to clamp two hands over her mouth to stop herself from screaming in fear. Though she could not see the being behind her, she could see the eerie shadows being cast on the wall in front of her. The room had taken on a red glow, causing the shadows to become even more menacing. Sheena unknowingly scooted back away from the wall, and pressed herself against the machine, forgetting Cadell's words until she was touching it herself.

She flew back away from the machine and shivered at what had run through her body in that instance. Feelings of sudden terror, fear, evil coursed through her and filled her. It made her want to curl into a ball and just hide from everything and everyone, and to hope and pray that those feelings never returned to her. They remained with her for a minute or so before they began to fade, allowing Sheena's racing heartbeat to start to slow down, and her heaving chest to get her more air to her body. When she finally could think straight again, Sheena lifted herself off the ground and peeked out to see what had become of the experiment.

The Exbelua had transformed, though it retained much of its former self. Its skin was now a reddish hue that was dark like brick, and its red eye had changed into a yellow one. The yellow lines that ran throughout the creature's arms and legs were now more pronounced. The biggest change appeared to be that it had developed a tail that extended behind it, weaving from side to side slowly on the ground. The container was now gone, shattered by the beast. The guards stood at the ready to fight it, should it turn wild on them. Cadell walked forward and presented herself in front of the Psybelua. "I am Cadell, your master. You serve me without question, without doubt, without though. Understood?" she asked.

The Psybelua took a moment to register these words, before it knelt down on one knee and replied with a distinct, almost hissing voice, "Yes, milady. I am yours to command."

"Very good. Escort this one to meet the rest, and the lock them up. I will retire for now to my quarters. The rest of you are dismissed." Cadell stated, turning to leave and passing by Mio, who watched in silence as the guards and Psybelua filed out of the room. She then turned to leave but paused suddenly, choosing to remove the hood of her cloak and reveal herself. She had pale skin, and black hair that was as long as her shoulder framed her face. She seemed delicate, fragile almost (7). She lifted up a hand and suddenly, a small red butterfly came out from where Sheena was hiding. She watched as it fluttered to Mio, landed on her extended finger, and then vanished without a trace. "You can come out now, Sheena Fujibayashi." Mio said quietly, turning to look directly at where Sheena was hiding.

Sheena considered simply running out and attacking the girl, but felt that with all that she had witnessed, she wouldn't even be capable of running, let alone engage an enemy. So she chose to step out slowly, cautiously, on weary, shaky, legs, doing her best to maintain her composure. She said nothing while looking back at Mio, meeting her gaze and giving her the most determined look she could.

Mio's red eyes blinked casually, looking over Sheena carefully before she spoke again. "I commend you for managing to get so far into here, Sheena. You've done extremely well in managing to avoid detection by the guards, the machines, and even Cadell herself. Sadly, you cannot hide yourself from me so easily. You left out tracks to follow you with, and so I observed your every move."

Sheena cleared her throat before asking, "Just who the heck are you, and what are you doing here?"

Mio gave a polite bow to Sheena before answering. "I am simply called Mio, Miss Sheena. And as for why I'm here, I have my purpose just as you have yours. Under other circumstances, I would've simply called the guards in here to apprehend you and place you with the rest of the prisoners. However…" she paused, choosing to walk around the console before continuing, "seeing as how you had to endure seeing this…experiment, and in respect for getting in here like you did, I will give you…5 minutes to escape. After that, should you still be here, I will call the guards and inform them of your location, and tell them to show you no mercy. Good day, Sheena." She turned and began walking away, but not before Sheena asked one last question.

"It was you who was spying on us at Balacruf, wasn't it? And all along since then?" Sheena asked.

Mio simply turned and answered, "Remember, Sheena: 5 minutes to escape. Starting now." She slipped through the open doors and walked to the left path as the doors shut.

Sheena tried to wrap her mind around all that she had paid witness to within the base. Her hands were still shaking, and she brought them to her eyes to watch them as they quivered uncontrollably. Enough was enough. It was time to go.

* * *

**Flashback ends-present time**

Sheena finished speaking and took another drink of water. By this point, all of the members of their group had awoken and gathered around to hear all that Sheena had seen and found. The entire time, when one hand was busy holding a glass of water, or clutching at the blanket she had wrapper around herself, her other hand had never left Lloyd's. He had refused to leave her side the entire time, letting her take her time to tell her story.

Raine had pulled out a notepad and had written down key notes from Sheena's memories. She didn't want to appear insensitive to the girl, but she knew that she needed to get down what she had seen before she repressed any of what she had seen. Such terror and trauma like Sheena had witnessed would undoubtedly cause her some trouble, though she seemed to be managing. Next to her on the table, Raine also had the map that Sheena had drawn upon coming back. She said that it would be best for her to draw it while it was still fresh in her mind, rather than after getting rest. Having said that, she had trouble at first, her hands shaking with each line traced, but eventually presented a completed map.

Kratos had been listening and watching from the doorway, and several times throughout the recollection, particularly with the Exbelua and Psybelua, he had felt the strong urge to simply go to the base himself and make Judgment rain upon the base, letting none escape his wrath. He had endured seeing his wife be transformed into such a thing, and been nearly broken by having to kill her. And now, someone else was engineering these creatures, for their own use. It made Kratos sick, and certain of one thing. Cadell was going to die. Oh, she would die.

All were quiet, letting the weight of Sheena's words rest upon their heads as they tried to assimilate what she had told them. Raine was the first to finally speak. "From what you describe…it would seem the base is quite large, larger than anticipated. Finding those prisoners and helping them to escape will be difficult enough, let alone having to deal with the guards and soldiers who will fight us along the way. And then there's Cadell herself to deal with." She stated softly.

Lloyd nodded. "It looks like we'll need a plan for this fight. It won't be as easy as Magnius or Kvar were back in Palmacosta."

Kratos spoke up from the doorway. "Agreed. Cadell has quite a number of soldiers and grunts she can throw at us. If it were not for the prisoners, we could've easily snuck into the base and destroyed it and everyone else with it. But that opportunity isn't present here, so we must work with what we have."

Genis decided to pitch in his thoughts, having been quiet the entire time from his seat next to Colette. "Maybe we could have the prisoners help us to fight back against Cadell? We could maybe match her numbers if we include them with us. And I'm sure the townspeople would help us too." He proposed.

Colette added in as well, saying, "What about maybe contacting Neil back in Palmacosta? Maybe he could send the army there to assist us here?"

Kratos shook his head. "No, I'm afraid that would take too long. Before the army could arrive, become well-organized, and be prepared to face Cadell's own army, she would have likely set up counter-measures that would render them useless. We know she can easily keep track of us, as we saw with this Mio character. She can likely use her just as easily to monitor anyone else she sought to know about."

Raine pondered for a moment in quiet before she offered another plan. "What if we challenged Cadell directly? Draw her out of the comfort of hiding behind her base and her army, and fought us herself?"

Lloyd scratched his head as he thought, his other hand still holding to Sheena's own. "Would she take that kind of bait?" he asked, looking to Kratos for his take.

Kratos closed his eyes in thought before replying. "She knows that she has an army to use at her disposal. She also has much confidence, almost too much, in her own abilities. As we saw when we first met her, she holds herself in a much higher regard with her own status as a Desian. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to imagine that we could entice her using her arrogance, leaving the base leaderless and her without support. It would require the right timing, placing, and location to pull it off. But I foresee one issue with that plan." Kratos stated. He took another breath and continued his explanation.

"Even if we did manage to get Cadell to leave the base to fight us, do you really think she would fight fairly? The moment she would begin to lose her ground, she would call upon her forces to come and overwhelm us. If we are to prevent that from happening, it would require us to take out the base while at the same time, holding off Cadell and preventing her from calling for support. And we can't do both tasks while acting as one group." Kratos finished.

"We would have to split into teams. One team to take out the base, the other team to hold off Cadell until the base is taken out." Genis said, filling in what Kratos was implying. Kratos' nod confirmed it. "Then I guess that leaves us with choosing who goes to the base, and who goes to fight Cadell."

"I wish to go to the base. We need to ensure that the prisoners are able to escape and get them to safety, back to Luin." Colette said. "It's my duty as the Chosen One to protect this world and the people in it."

"I too, wish to go to the base. If we want to destroy it, then you'll need me in there in order to use the computers." Raine stated.

"I'm going to fight Cadell. I'm not going to allow her to get away with hurting any more innocents. No matter how tough she is, I'll cut her down to size." Lloyd said, clenching a fist. He also personally wanted to defeat Cadell for the terrors that Sheena had been put through, though he kept this reason to himself.

"I will join you in the fight against Cadell." Kratos said simply. In his mind though, his reasons were direct. He was going to protect his son. It was as simple as that, and no one else would make him do otherwise, not even Lloyd himself.

"That leaves Genis and Sheena. What would you two wish to do? It's up to you." Lloyd asked, turning to glance at the two remaining individuals.

Genis sat in thought for a short time before standing up to announce his decision. "I'll go with Raine and Colette to the base. As much as I would like to fry Cadell to the ground, I feel better knowing I'm there with my sis. Besides, you're gonna need someone backing you up in there." He stated, directing the last comment to his sister. She grinned at his protectiveness of her, even if he was her younger sibling.

Lloyd turned to Sheena, who looked up at him and gave a weak smile. She wasn't sure how she had managed to stay awake this entire time, her experience having driven away all her energy and leaving her exhausted. She chalked it up to Lloyd's presence, finding strength knowing he was there for her. "Sheena, it's up to you. I understand if you don't wish to fight Cadell. You've been through a lot lately and-" he was cut off by Sheena putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Thanks, Lloyd. I appreciate it. But after seeing what I saw, it's not a matter of being afraid of going back. I want to stop her from ever doing it again. And the only way I can do that, is to go after the one who started it all. I'm going with you to fight Cadell." She said with resolution visible in her eyes. Lloyd considered arguing, but stopped when he saw the emotion in her eyes. He remembered feeling just the same back in Iselia, when he swore to protect Colette from the Desians, and again when he took an oath to change the world from Mithos' plan and vision. There wasn't any way to fight it.

"Ok then, Sheena. If that's what you want. You go on and get some rest; you've certainly earned some." He turned to the rest of the group. "As for us, let's take some time to prepare and go over the map. I get the feeling that we're gonna be in for one heck of a fight when the time comes." Everyone nodded, and Lloyd stood to escort Sheena to her room. He tucked her in and said goodnight, but noticed that she had already fallen asleep as soon as she had hit the bed. Lloyd smiled gently and made sure she was comfortable before closing the door and going back to join the others.

* * *

**Cadell's base- Cadell's quarters**

The newest Desian Grand Cardinal was looking over her files on the Chosen One and her group, the information provided by her little informant, Mio, showing itself to be invaluable as it was accurate. She knew that in due time, a confrontation with them would arise, as they would surely attempt a siege on her base of operations. She smirked at the idea of their feeble attempt to thwart her. With all the weapons she has at her disposal, how could she possibly lose?

She glanced over at a nearby clock and chose to go over her files one last time. She pulled up the files on her computer and had them displayed before her in ascending order from least threatening to most. A 3-d image of each of them was displayed with their information.

**Genis Sage**

_Known Abilities: Magic user, capable of using multiple elements to varying degrees. Has displayed proficiency with Fire, Water, and Earth spells._

_Strengths: Highly gifted intelligence, capable of identifying and adapting situations quickly. Excels at long range attacks, normally in the form of projectiles. Low height grants advantage in case of physical confrontation, allows him to move and avoid being hit if prepared._

_Weaknesses: Demonstrates little to no real physical prowess in battle. Uses Kendama as means of channeling spells. Removal of said Kendama will most likely render him incapable of using his magic. Relies on remaining away from enemies in order to avoid being attacked, as well as being on offense._

_Side notes: Do not comment on height of the mage. Has demonstrated immense rage at being mocked for it._

'_So a miniature mage that I can flick aside with one hand. No problem.' _Cadell thought to herself before moving on to the next.

**Raine Sage**

_Known Abilities: Magic user-healing oriented. Has a large array of healing capabilities. Serves as support for the group. Also has an offensive capability, though these are limited. Offensive abilities lay in Light magic._

_Strengths: Extensive array of healing spells and support magic. Also has highly gifted intellect, much like her sibling of the same name. Immense archaeological knowledge as well as medical. Due to extensive practice with healing magic, is capable of pulling them off with surprising speed. Light magic, while limited in diversity, is considered strong. Capable of use at any range, though used preferably at long distance._

_Weaknesses: similar to younger sibling, not much in way of physical prowess. Fights at long range, and requires time to cast offensive spells. Uses staff to channel magic. Removal of staff will likely render her incapable of casting magic._

_Side notes: Do not damage any archaeological artifact in her presence. Will cause infinitesimal rage until provoker pays the price for said damage. Also seems to have some form of power reserved in a head slap. Uncertain if used in battle._

'_Ok…healer and support that's not completely right in the head…easy enough._' Cadell thought, sweat-dropping lightly at the side notes. '_Next.'_

**Colette Brunel a.k.a The Chosen One**

_Known Abilities: Uses Chakrams to do combat. Always returns when thrown, due to design of said weapon. Edges are sharp, can cut through armor if used with enough force. Capable of materializing mana into the form of so called "Para balls", as well as a hammer. Able to fly, and use abilities that are specifically bestowed upon the Chosen One._

_Strengths: Usage of Chakrams for long and short range attacks, as well as other attacks such as aforementioned Para balls. Capable of flying through use of wings. Also has powers bestowed by Chosen One status._

_**Key Note: As acting Chosen One, Colette should be handled with caution. A Chosen One's abilities are never fully known. May possibly be capable of more than what has been observed.**_

_Weaknesses: Has immense sympathy for all living beings. Dislikes combat unless necessary. While capable of flight, wings may be considered weak point. Also, displays average strength capability, though she has a more delicate body than others._

_Side notes: no notes of importance at this time. _

'_The Chosen One…if you cross my path, you will be the first to go. As my master, Lord Kvar, would have wished it so.'_ Cadell made sure to remember to be cautious and effective should she fight the Chosen One.

**Sheena Fujibayashi**

_Known Abilities: Uses art of seals to combat enemies. Has multiple seal types for various situations. Also capable of stealth and use of hidden tactics. Has noteworthy agility and speed. _

_Strengths: Uses speed to enact multiple seals in a chain to attack opponents. Assumed to start from lower level up to higher level, though this is unconfirmed from current data. Decent level of stamina and endurance to match speed. Unknown how diverse her capabilities with seals may be. Fight with caution._

_**Key Note: Sheena is capable of summoning one of the elemental spirits, Undine. While this ability has not been presented yet, if used, it will cause her danger level to rise immensely. Be on watch to prevent this from occurring, as it may turn the tide **_(ha-ha, a pun)_** in the battle.**_

_Weaknesses: While offensive abilities are high, defensive abilities are not particularly noteworthy. Fights at melee range, but wields no ranged capability as of yet. _

_Side notes: May attack using stealth. Trained as spy and assassin, though where she was taught or who she learned under are not known._

'_My, my. A summoner. You certainly keep yourself quite well-guarded, Chosen One. And we're still not done yet.'_ Cadell pulled up the next profile, and did her best to maintain her composure, but her frown and clutching of her fists demonstrated her anger.

**Kratos Aurion**

_Known abilities: Excellent swordsman, capable of taking on multiple enemies with ease. Mastery of combat with sword and shield, never seen without them on hand. High intelligence, with a long history of combat experience. Very adaptable to any situation in battle. Handle with extreme caution. Possibly capable of magic, though this is not for certain. Carries an intimidating aura about him._

_**Key note: Credited with the death of Lord Kvar on the field of battle at Palmacosta. This fact alone demonstrates the skill contained within Kratos. This was after doing combat with hundreds of other Desian soldiers.**_

_Strengths: Usage of sword on the field of combat, as well as combat experience. Immense levels of stamina and energy. Considered by many to be unbeatable in combat. Knows much of magic and magic users, and likely knows how to combat them as well as in hand to hand combat. Very powerful._

_Weaknesses: None known of at this time. Only possibility may be his will to come to the aid of others on the field of battle._

'_For killing Lord Kvar, you will pay, Kratos Aurion. I will see to it myself that you die just like you killed my master. I swear on it.'_ If looks could kill, Kratos would've probably spontaneously combusted, just from how Cadell was glaring at his image.

**Lloyd Irving a.k.a Hero of Palmacosta**

_Known abilities: Dual swordsman, wielding two blades at the same time. Has a high offensive capability while insuring an opponent cannot get too close. Capable of various sword techniques used at either melee range or long range. Combat style allows much adaptability in battle, able to take on one enemy or multiple if needed._

_**Key note: Credited with death of Desian Grand Cardinal Magnius. Defeated on field of combat at Battle of Palmacosta. This is a mark of skill and should not be ignored or overlooked.**_

_Strengths: Offensive capability with twin blades, wielding with immense proficiency. High levels of stamina and endurance. Strong physical capability to match stamina. Seems to also operate as leader of the group, aside from the Chosen One, and can rally his fellow fighters to keep going. It is this charisma and spirit that assisted with his victory in the Battle of Palmacosta._

_Weaknesses: Defensive capabilities are not as efficient, with no real means of defense aside from his blades. Not as much battle experience as Kratos Aurion, allowing for more mistakes. There is the possibility that he cares greatly for his fellow group, particularly Sheena. Could be used against him, but expect that if harm comes to them by your hands, that you will be his next target._

Cadell leaned back and sighed. Tallying all of her information in her mind, she credited the group with having an impressive repertoire of abilities, each changing with the next member. In lesser hands, this group would be quite a challenge. However, to fight her, they would have to step into her playing field, and that turns the advantage to her. With her combined forces of machines, soldiers, and the Exbelua and Psybeluas, there was no way she could lose.

'_When we meet on the field of battle, Chosen One, it will be your end, and the glory of the half elves will begin!' _she thought in her mind, allowing an evil smile to grace her lips as she let out a small cackle of evil laughter.

* * *

(1). the sneaky way in that our good friend Pietro had is unusable at this point, since we haven't gone to Hima yet.

(2). I couldn't think of a proper name for this room other than computer room, simply because I wasn't aware of there being any other name for it.

(3). Character created by a reader going by the name Insomniac. I hope I portrayed his character as he had envisioned it. He was perfect for this role, and I'm certain I will continue to use him.

(4). I realize that this may not have been a detail within the game, but I created it to give more detail to the base, as we only see small portions of it in comparison to the base as a whole.

(5). Design inspired by this image I found on DeviantArt: .com/?qh=§ion=&q=lab#/d8bvs5. All credit for the image goes to the artist who created it, Yonaz. It is copyrighted work, and belongs solely to this individual. I used it as inspiration to create Cadell's secret lab.

(6). I needed a mineral or some form of element as a plot device for this chapter, which will be explained further below. For now, understand it to be an element that is the opposite of Zircon, which as we can recall, was used to make one of the best key crests around, a Rune Crest. Therefore, as the opposite of Zircon, it would cause the opposite effect of zircon.

(7). another character created by…well…they didn't exactly leave me a name…*sweatdrop*. Mio is another character submitted to me that I found to be very useful, especially as she was the only one so far that was made to oppose the group, rather than support it. I see several uses for this character, and intend to use her also. So thank you, whoever you are!

And there you have it.

Ok, this one took a lot of work to try and do the right way. I had to go through Kvar's base again on the game, multiple times, going over the hallways, over the rooms, how everything was built, and then adjust it for this chapter. There are obviously changes to the base as the leader of the base has changed from Kvar to Cadell. As with any major change with leadership, there comes a change in location and environment, so these changes aren't really anything major or important.

The lab scene…this was mostly done for two main reasons. One was to emphasize and build up on the experience Sheena was put through to render her in such a state in the previous chapter. Realistically speaking, it would take an immense amount of mental stress and terror to shake an experience Kunoichi like Sheena is. She has been trained as an assassin, a spy, and as an agent of stealth for Mizuho. This would obviously imply as much strength of the mind as well as physical ability. So, I would have to put her through an experience that would go beyond her limits. This leads to my second reason for that scene.

The creation of an Exbelua has never actually been demonstrated or presented, save for the usual three step method. First, you get an exsphere without a key crest. Second, you start to get sick and hurt from the exsphere, but not much else aside from that. Third, you're suddenly a giant monster. So, I decided to create the process, and who better to do it than psychotic ol' Cadell? She could've obviously picked it up from Kvar, who had done countless exsphere experiments. As for the Psybelua, I made this as another aspect of events and people being affected by the time warp caused by Lloyd. As for just what turns an Exbelua into a Psybelua…yeah, you're not gonna know that yet. Now, as for what can make someone go from human to Exbelua so quickly, that's where Zaelithirium comes in.

So, I suppose that's enough for now. 10,000 plus words is becoming a standard for me almost these days, hehe. I'm afraid you won't be able to expect an update for awhile. I'm going off to college soon, as in within a couple of days, and I intend to get settled in and focused on my classes first before I can focus time onto this. That's not to say I won't work on the story, but just don't expect another update for at least a couple weeks.

So, pretty much, the usual waiting time.

Wish me luck at college, I'm gonna need it. Read and review!


	22. Chapter 22

*camera pans to find the author sitting in front of his mailbox, staring unblinkingly at it. At his side are various bags of chips, beef jerky, drinks, and a shotgun loaded and good to go. A clock ticks in the background as Infinite Freedom walks down the street to come across the author.*

I.F: Morning, Rae-*notices shotgun and assorted foods*…um…what's with the guard station?

Raenef: Waiting for reviews for the past 2 chapters. *reaches down and pulls out a piece of beef jerky, tearing it in half and chomping down on one while holding another to I.F.* care to join me?

I.F: Nah, I'm pretty much set. How long you plan to sit there for? And why the shotgun?

Raenef: *chewing through jerky* Well, I've been sitting here awhile now, and I plan to keep on until I get to see some more reviews. I know they're out there, just slow in coming out. As for the shotgun…*picks it up and cocks it* it's in case of hungry zombies or squirrels, whichever one comes for me first.

I.F: Why would zombies come for you? Squirrels I get, but zombies?

Raenef: The better question here, my friend, is why wouldn't they come for me? *waves finger at I.F*

I.F: In that case, you're gonna need backup. *materializes chair and sits beside Raenef.* Spare a soda?

*Raenef hands him one as a quiet breeze blows past, leaving the two in silence.*

* * *

**You get the idea, folks. Look, I realize I was gone for awhile, and then just suddenly picked up. And yes, it's not like every chapter is going to be amazingly written and deserve massive critique. However, I would like to know that this work I'm doing is more worthwhile than three reviews. Props to Infinite Freedom, Swordude, Vandenbz, and Syzhale for at least posting a review, and for watching this story from the start. **

**I'm not asking for a flood of reviews, but I'd like to know that this work is still worthwhile, that people are still reading and enjoying it. Having a silent audience is worse than having a mix of supporters/haters. I don't know whether you think the chapter was good, bad, needed work, if one part was good, or so on. If you want to tell me that I did a good job, then say so. If you think I did terrible and need to redo it, then say so. I wouldn't like outright flames, but still, I would enjoy knowing someone was willing to talk to me about it.**

**Now that that's out of the way, on with the show!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

**Last Time…**

_Cadell leaned back and sighed. Tallying all of her information in her mind, she credited the group with having an impressive repertoire of abilities, each changing with the next member. In lesser hands, this group would be quite a challenge. However, to fight her, they would have to step into her playing field, and that turns the advantage to her. With her combined forces of machines, soldiers, and the Exbelua and Psybeluas, there was no way she could lose._

'_When we meet on the field of battle, Chosen One, it will be your end, and the glory of the half elves will begin!' she thought in her mind, allowing an evil smile to grace her lips as she let out a small cackle of evil laughter._

* * *

**The following day, 8:00 A.M**

The rising of the sun into the sky the next day wasn't greeted with as much enthusiasm as one would expect from the group. Sheena had slept heavily, only wakening after Lloyd had called for her several times, ending where he finally entered her room and called her name. She awoke startled, and quickly shoo-ed Lloyd out of her room to prevent feeling embarrassed from having him there. The rest of the group each awoke and ate in relative quiet, the task ahead of them weighing on their minds.

Kratos seemed to be the least affected, his years upon years of experience and age helping him to deal with what was to come. He could see the stress and fear already creeping into the group's minds. '_They can't be blamed, for being so young. A schoolteacher, three students, and a somewhat experienced, if sensitive, Kunoichi. Not the best hand dealt out of the deck. Perhaps I can give them something to shake off their negative thoughts?' _He pondered before he set down his food to speak. "You know, I remember a tale I once heard, long ago, about a soldier in the army of an ancient city." He started, getting the attention of everyone at the table.

Upon seeing everyone listening, Kratos continued. "The soldier was young, inexperienced, and was faced with much adversity in both the battlefield and at home. His home village rejected him for not being strong enough. His fellow soldiers often abandoned him, due to his youth and inexperience. His enemies were terrifying, and unmerciful. They fought savagely, abandoning honor and morality for power and greed. This often left the soldier to wonder, 'why was he fighting? Why not run away, and let someone else handle the enemy, especially if they didn't want him there?'" Kratos took a small drink out of his mug to keep himself from drying out.

"It was then, and each time it came to question, that he reminded himself that he fought for the sake of others, to protect those few innocents he cared for. It was them who gave him the courage to stand up and face the challenges before him. And while the battle was long and fierce, he never gave up. He never quit fighting, but stood strong and firm for what he believed in: a belief in honor and in the virtue of courage when facing whatever challenge came his way." Kratos turned to look at each of them carefully.

"We may not be facing the greatest odds at this time, and we may not be the strongest fighters in the world, but by no means should we let ourselves be burdened by what we are up against. If you believe we will not succeed, that we cannot defeat Cadell and release her grip on these lands, then that is exactly what will happen. But if you believe that you can overcome her, and surpass the limits you believe you have, then there is nothing you cannot accomplish." He finished, settling back into his seat and taking a long sip of his drink.

The rest of the group took in Kratos' words and it was like a blanket was removed from their bodies. They each cracked a smile, Lloyd most of all, and seemed to eat with more gusto and ease than before. '_Kratos always seems to know just what to say in a time of need. Thanks, dad.' _Lloyd thought to himself before digging in to his plate.

Sheena, though still a little weary from the adventure of the day before, thought on what it meant to her, to protect those people who were important to her. She glanced at Lloyd and knew right away he was one person important to her. The rest of the group too, was important, having helped her and welcomed her as their friend and ally. '_I will do all I can to help them, no matter what it takes!' _she told herself. It became her mantra as she ate, and soon enough, she felt as though she could take on anything that came her way. Well, almost anything. The ruling was still out on whether or not she would bring tomatoes anywhere near Kratos, or poke fun at ruins in front of Raine.

The adventurers finished their meal, and thanked the charitable innkeeper who provided the food. She bowed in return and wished them well in their task, and watched them leave. "Martel be with them…"she whispered before beginning to clean up the dishes left behind.

* * *

**9:00 A.M, outside of Luin**

The group made their way to a crossroad clearing that lay out in open space, with little to no foliage visible for miles surrounding their location. Some of the ground was raised in various heights, ranging from up to their knees to several feet above their heads (though for Genis, everything was above his head.) Lloyd told the group to stop here to discuss the plan again. "Alright, let's go over it one last time, to make sure we have no loose ends. Genis, Raine, and Colette are heading to the forest near the base, with Corrine going alongside them. Meanwhile, Kratos, Sheena, and I will remain here at this clearing to wait on Cadell."

Kratos picked up where Lloyd left off. "Once you reach the base's location, send Corrine in to pass the note to a guard, as a message to Cadell directly from me. Upon delivering the message, Corrine will run back to us here at the clearing to let us know the message has been sent. We will await her to meet us here. In the meantime, once it is clear she has left the base, you are to get inside and reach the prisoners. Once they are released, you need to destroy the base if possible. Knowing Kvar, there is likely a self-destruct mechanism that's accessible within the main control room. Activate it, and get out of there."

Raine nodded, having been chosen as the leader for the group heading to the base. "Once we escape, we'll escort the prisoners out from the base to safety. After that, we'll make our way back to you as support. If needed, Colette will guide the prisoners back, though I suspect that in such a large group, they should be alright. Any patrolling Desians would think twice before even approaching a mob of just-freed prisoners." She stated.

"Are there any questions before we begin? There won't be any turning back once it's started." Sheena said. No one spoke a word of disagreement, every face set in determination. Sheena smiled at seeing her friends like this. It gave her more confidence that they would succeed. "Very well then. Corrine!" she called out, and in a puff of smoke, Corrine appeared at her feet.

"Here I am, Sheena! What do you need?" the miniature summons asked, tails wagging in eagerness to help.

"I need you to go with Raine and the others to assist them. This is an important mission, ok? You're going to deliver a message to enemy guards, saying it's from Kratos here. The moment they take the message, you are to leave immediately back here to inform Lloyd that you've delivered the message. You'll be free to dismiss yourself if you wish to. Make sure that the guards do not follow you, and under no circumstances are you to give away Raine's group's location. Understood?" Sheena relayed to her. Corrine focused her attention solely on Sheena's words, and when Sheena finished speaking, gave a salute using one of her tails.

"You can count on me, Sheena! I won't fail!" Corrine exclaimed. She dashed over to Colette's feet and sat and waited for her next order.

Lloyd nodded and looked to Colette. "Stay safe, ok? And be careful in there. If it gets to be too dangerous in there, get out." Colette responded with a thumbs up and a smile. "Ok then, let's go!" Lloyd said, and Colette, Raine, and Genis headed off for the base, Corrine in tow. Lloyd watched them as they ran off, and turned to Kratos and Sheena. "Now all we can do is wait, I guess."

A small breeze blew by, ruffling their clothes in the wind as the daylight shined on their heads. Kratos turned and simply sat on a nearby rock, deciding to take the time to meditate while peace was still present. This left Lloyd and Sheena to stand there, causing both to feel slightly awkward as neither had said anything yet. "Why don't we sit down and talk while we have some time?" Sheena suggested finally. Lloyd nodded and followed her to a nearby patch of soft grass to relax.

Kratos opened one eye to peek at the two teenagers sitting down and smirked before resuming his meditation. '_The calm before the storm, indeed.'_ He thought as his mind drifted.

* * *

**9:20 A.M, outskirts of Cadell's base**

The small band of heroes made their way through the forest surrounding the base, taking care to not draw attention to themselves. Each step was light and quick, avoiding underbrush and sticks that might signal a patrolling Desian. Colette proposed flying them there, but the idea was dismissed when the issue of time wasted came up, as well as the possibility she might have a clumsy spell and hit a tree. Raine had her staff out and was feeling the ground out in front of her to ensure no traps were laid out to prevent intruders from approaching the base, as well as holes in the ground they might trip on.

"We should be getting close. Everyone, be on your guard." Raine whispered, taking a longer stride to avoid a small pitch in the ground left by a tree root that had once been there. Genis and Colette nodded to each other and mimicked her steps exactly. Corrine seemed to take a more dramatic route, leaping over the hole and rolling to land next to Raine in what could be considered an attack stance. She looked both ways before nodding to herself and moving onward. Raine had to resist the urge to sigh at the small summons's actions. They had told her to take their objective seriously, but it seems that the fox spirit was overdoing it, if possible. Raine shook herself from these thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

The trees and bushes finally gave way to a clearing, exposing the man-made pathway that led to the base. Two guards stood at attention at the front gate, swords in hand as they kept their view on the road before them. Raine immediately ducked down behind a nearby bush, followed by Colette and Genis. "Ok, we've found the base. There doesn't appear to be as many guards active at this time, which works well for us. Corrine, are you ready?" she asked, pulling out the paper with the written message from Kratos.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Corrine squeaked to her. She was immediately shushed, and she covered her mouth with her paws. "Sorry!" she whispered. Raine knelt down and tied the message to her back. "Remember: just walk up to the guard, tell him who the message is for and from, and then get out of there and back to Sheena. Understood?" Raine questioned. The small spirit opened her mouth to reply, but remembered at the last moment and settled for nodding her head to confirm.

"Ok. Then let's get this show on the road. Operation Divide and Conquer: Execute!" Raine stated. Corrine took a moment to compose herself, and then leapt out of the bush onto the roadway. She took careful measured steps towards the guards, each step bringing with it a rise in anxiety. If any part of their plan went wrong, she would have to high-tail it and fast just to evade capture. If they had seen her, the Desians gave no indication, remaining still and silent at their posts.

The small summon finally stopped right at the feet of one of the guards, who was holding a whip and was leaning back against the gate with his head down. "Um, excuse me…" Corrine squeaked, barely audible from Raine's viewpoint. The guard seemed to give no notice to Corrine, not even moving but remaining stationary at his post. Corrine blinked in confusion before trying again. "Hello? Excuse me?" she spoke in a louder tone. She still received no response, causing Corrine to sweatdrop as she leaned forward to look up the soldier's helmet. His breathing was slow, and…was that snoring she heard?

Raine, Genis, and Colette all had collective sweatdrops watching their tiny agent trying to do its job, only to be blocked by their enemy's own laziness. "And it's these same people who leave the continent in fear whenever they're mentioned…the mighty Desians…sleeping on the job…" Raine muttered to herself.

Corrine decided enough was enough, and went on ahead and made a brash decision. If the guard wasn't willing to listen, she would have to make him listen. With this in mind, she leapt up the guard's body and landed on his shoulder, and yelled loudly into his ear, "EXCUSE ME!" This action didn't just cause the guard to snort and jump in his place, but also made the rest of the group waiting in the forest to faceplant at the same time. The guard bumbled around and had his whip out and ready, only to see the small little fox creature sitting before him.

"Er…um…halt! Don't move!" He yelled, awakening the other guard, who fumbled with his crossbow and aimed it at his partner and almost fired before realizing just who it was he was pointing at.

Corrine simply sat still and waited for the guards to settle down before speaking. "I was sent here to deliver a message to your boss, Cadell." She stated clearly, gesturing to the paper on her back with one of her tails.

The mention of Cadell immediately moved the two soldiers to action, standing at attention and moving their heads left and right to try and find their tyrannical and terrifying leader. Corrine sighed at their antics and walked forward to nudge the guard with the whip with her foot. Seeing him look down, she gestured at the message again, prompting him to pick it up and unroll it to read it. "Give that to Cadell. It's from Kratos. She'll know who it is." She stated before dashing away, all according to plan.

Giving it a quick glance, the soldier shrugged his shoulders, turned, and opened the gate to walk inside to find Cadell. "Wait, where are you going? We're supposed to be on watch for any intruders. Cadell will have our heads if she finds we're not here!" Crossbow guard exclaimed.

"I just had a tiny three tailed fox give me a message from one of the men responsible for our loss in the Battle for Palmacosta, a message meant for someone who might be crazier than our old boss. I don't know about you, but that fills my quota of weird stuff to just stop and go with it." Whip guard replied before heading on in. Crossbow guard thought on this and said aloud, "He does have a point" before following his partner.

"Ok, the first step's completed. Now we just wait to see when Cadell takes the bait and get inside once she's long gone." Raine stated, getting a nod from Genis and Colette.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Colette asked, choosing to lean against a nearby tree as her legs could finally relax from having to kneel in place so long.

"I'm not sure. But we can't expect it to take long. From what Kratos said, the message would get her moving pretty quickly." Genis replied. He wondered just what it was that Kratos could put on there to entice the woman to take such quick action as he predicted.

* * *

**Inside Cadell's base, 9:30 A.M**

For many soldiers and fighters of the Desian persuasion, very few things were ever encountered to change their daily routine. Oftentimes, one could find the daily routine of the run-of-the-mill Desian to be almost boring and repetitive. Wake up in the morning, dress, salute the Yggdrasill poster on your wall, head out to your post, and see if something exciting happens. The last time something exciting happened on the base, was when Kvar set out to meet Magnius on the battlefield at Palmacosta. Oh, that had been an exciting day! Everyone was revved up and ready to go fight for the Desian cause.

Then they lost. Terribly.

After that, things wound down until their new boss, Cadell, came around. Ever since, she's been doing her best to run the base as smoothly as possible, making sure that any and all problems are handled right away, so as to prevent any unnecessary incidents in the future. Missing slots in the workforce were replaced by mechanical arms and ran 24/7, so as to pick up any slack that might be left by the living and actual soldiers of the base. One might think that with those machines stepping in, that people would complain. On the contrary, the soldiers found that they could do less work and relax more of the day away while the machines worked to pick up the slack. Yep, life was turning out to be pretty good for the Desian of today.

And then, everything went to shit.

The morning started out fairly enough. One of the early morning shifters came in, saying there was a message for Cadell. Granted, she didn't get messages that often, but they let him go by to her private area of the base and awaited his return. Maybe it was a message from the higher ups, giving her new orders?

The guards on post at the entrance to Cadell's quarters realized that such was not the case when the same soldier from before was sent flying back through the doorway, his body fried and sparking, down the hall, and ricocheted into the adjacent hallway. "Oh….shit." one of the guards said before Cadell came raging out, her lance in hand and an expression of absolute murder on her face.

"I'm going to kill that bastard and drive him into the ground with my own two hands!" Cadell yelled, causing both of the guards to cringe at her shrill voice. '_How dare that insidious, vile, wretched being challenge me? Speak to me in such a manner! I will grind him and burn him and fry him until he's no more than a smudge on my shoe to be wiped away!' _Cadell thought venomously.

5 minutes ago, Cadell was overlooking her latest reports on activity within the base. Exsphere production was along the normal ranges, and all the prisoners were accounted for. According to the calculations of the main computer, her base was running at approximately 90% efficiency, the 10% left being due to the mortal and sleeping soldiers within the facility. '_If only they could run on electricity like my precious machines do…' _she thought to herself before her train of thought was interrupted by the door sliding open. "To enter my quarters at this hour, you must either not value your life, or you have something important to tell me. Pray that it's the latter and not the former." She stated ominously before glancing up to see a nervous looking soldier holding a piece of parchment for her.

The guard was well aware of just who it was he was talking to, and just how literally she would act upon her underlying threat. But the message that he held needed to be delivered, even if it got him killed. "I-I was told to bring this message to you, Lady Cadell. It was delivered to us this morning, at the front gate." He replied, stuttering when he saw her icy glare. She gestured for him to bring it to her, and he handed the message to her, quickly stepping back to ensure he was out of arm's reach.

Cadell glanced down and saw that the handwriting wasn't written in the scrawl of a mere civilian, but written more in an old style, causing her to blink away her momentary confusion as she began reading the old language.

_To Cadell, of the Desian Ranch overseeing Luin,_

_My name is Kratos Aurion, the man who killed your former leader, Kvar, of the five-excuse me- three remaining Desian Grand Cardinals._

Cadell held her breath as she reread this statement, and looked back up to the soldier. "This had better not be some form of a joke, or I will punish you far worse than any of the prisoners here." She spoke darkly, making the young man flinch where he stood. He shook his head no, and Cadell growled and continued reading.

_I have written this as a form of challenge to be presented to you by my courier. I have no wish to involve my fellow journeyers, nor the remaining innocents of this region. Therefore, I challenge you to honorable combat, in the plains outside of Luin. It will be between just you and I, and it will allow us to settle our conflict once and for all. If you seek to avenge that demented _(Cadell twitched)_, ego-inflated, idiotic _(she twitched again)_, possibly sexual orientation-confused fool you called a leader_ (Cadell's blood pressure was immensely high)_, then I suggest you try and find me. Remember, it is a battle of honor, and you should respect it as such._

_Kratos Aurion_

"A battle…of honor…with him?" Cadell managed to utter out in disgust as her hand crumpled the paper in her tight fist. Her hair shadowed her eyes from view, and the soldier decided to take a step forward to check on his leader. "L-lady Cadell?" he asked nervously before his hand touched her shoulder. It would be the last thing the guard remembered before he was sent flying back by a lightning bolt that launched him through the door and away into unconsciousness.

Moving back to the present time now, Cadell entered the main storage room where many of the stock of backup machines were kept. "I want a battalion of 300 of these machines ready and armed by the top of the hour. Also, I want every one of the Exbeluas and Psybeluas rounded up and ready to move. And if they're not ready, you'll be the first one I'll feed to them to make sure they listen." Cadell instructed one of the soldiers at the controls of the machines. He gulped and saluted before going to work on activating as many as at a time as he could. The last thing he wanted was to even have to go near any of those creepy monsters that Cadell had created.

'_So Kratos wants a fight? I'll give him a fight. It'll be the last fight that he ever sees, and then, my master will be avenged, once and for all!" _she thought maliciously, an evil smirk adorning her features as she envisioned a defeated and broken Kratos, along with the rest of his group taken prisoner or killed on the spot for defying her. So what if he challenged her to honorable combat?

Since when does a Desian play fair?

* * *

**9:50 A.M, outskirts of Luin**

Kratos paused in his meditating to look around suddenly, wondering if the malicious force he sensed was directed towards him, but decided to shrug it off as nothing important. He got the same feeling form Yuan when he once stole his capes as a prank. '_Good times, good times…though that lightning blast was enough to make me sit in bed for a week.'_ He thought. He turned to check on Lloyd and Sheena, and found them deep in conversation, away from the world around them and only interested in each other.

"No way. How did he pull that off? I mean, wouldn't he have been too short to go for it?" Sheena asked, not believing her ears.

"No lie, hehe. Genis really did use his magic to get on top of the schoolhouse and get the ball back, though he wasn't able to get back down once he threw it. Raine had to go up and get him herself, but she didn't scold him much for it." Lloyd answered, smiling at the memory.

"I wouldn't have pegged the little guy to do it, myself. He seems more the type to go to you for help than go it alone." Sheena commented, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"You would think so, but Genis and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. Even when we just started out in school, we were looking out for each other. Well, I say that, but it was more Genis helped me with my homework while I helped him get used to the village." Lloyd admitted sheepishly, scratching his head nervously.

Sheena giggled at the display, but stood up suddenly as she heard a familiar voice ring out. "I think I hear something…it might be Corrine!" she exclaimed, dashing up ahead to another rise to look out over the fields and plains. Sure enough, a small trail of dust was visible behind the small summon, as it made its way to her location. She finally came to a spot near their location, and promptly collapsed, chest heaving from heavy and quick breaths.

Seeing Corrine fall, Sheena dashed out and brought her back to Lloyd and Kratos, both of whom were keeping an eye out in case Cadell was right behind Corrine. "Corrine, did everything go as planned?" she asked softly, concern in her eyes.

The fox spirit took a few more breaths before speaking. "Yep…got…message…there…" she answered in between breaths. She nestled herself closer to Sheena, and Sheena automatically cradled her as she rested.

"You did well, Corrine. You can go on and take a rest now. You've earned it." Sheena whispered. Lloyd could've sworn he saw the small summons smile before she vanished away. "Well, what do we do next?" the summoner asked, looking to both Lloyd and Kratos.

"Now we wait for Cadell to come for us, and see just how angry I made her. If she's anything like the rest of the Desians, her anger will lead her to make mistakes in her actions, and that's where we must take action. Raine and the rest will handle the base and take her out from behind, if everything goes according to plan." Kratos replied.

Lloyd nodded and chose to look out over the plains towards the forest that hid the Asgard base, wondering just what might come out of there and after them. Should he expect a giant army of robots, monsters, and Cadell herself to come out after them, or will even come for them at all? "Man…I hate waiting." Lloyd commented.

Kratos smirked. "Impatience is the folly of the fool, Lloyd. It's just like being in a battle. If you try to strike your opponent too quickly without thinking, you open yourself to more harm than what you yourself can unleash. But strike with the right amount of power and thought, and you'll be untouchable." He replied, invoking his knowledge as an experienced fighter.

Lloyd sighed, knowing his mercenary angelic father was right. "Was there ever a time when you weren't right about something, Kratos?" Lloyd asked rhetorically.

Sheena giggled watching the two interact while Kratos put on an expression of thought. "Well, there was the…no, let's see…maybe when I…no, not then either…hmm…" he mumbled aloud.

Lloyd just sweatdropped and muttered to himself, "He can't even remember the last time that happened?"

'_I could mention the time Anna kicked me out of the house because I made a misassumption about her carrying Lloyd and how that affected her clothes…'_ Kratos thought to himself, recalling how Anna had rendered the Seraphim without a house or bed for two nights, and shuddered. '_Some tales are too terrifying to recall…'_

* * *

**Outside Cadell's base, 10:00 A.M**

Not a sound or person had been witnessed leaving the base so far, as Raine could tell. She had been keeping watch while Genis and Colette rested behind her, having decided to take turns to watch should Cadell take longer than expected to move out, if she moved at all. '_Once she leaves, we'll go inside and take care of the prisoners and the base. Without their support and with the boost of the prisoners, we should be able to handle Cadell once and for all.'_ She thought to herself. She was brought out of her thoughts when a loud, klaxon alarm began ringing, echoing throughout the entire forest. Birds and animals scattered as the alarm continued to ring.

"What's happening? Did we get spotted?" Genis asked, having to almost yell to be heard over the loud alarm. Colette had her hands over her ears, the blaring noise giving her a headache.

"I'm not sure, but stay low. It might be something inside the base." Raine replied, scanning the base's gate for any sign of movement beyond it. She couldn't detect anyone, but knew to be on guard. Would they use the front gate? What if they chose to cut through the side, right through the forest that they were hiding in?

Suddenly, the alarm stopped ringing, and Cadell's voice could be heard over an intercom. "Open the main gateway! All soldiers and forces, fall in line and prepare to move out!" she declared. Once the intercom clicked off, loud grinding of gears and switches could be heard from the gate as it began to open. It split down the middle and the two pieces slowly groaned and moved to the side as the army was revealed. Raine gasped as she could see Cadell, lance in hand and scowl on her face, leading the army, waiting patiently for the gates to fully open. Behind her, she could see dozens upon dozens of machines lined up, some levitating in place, others standing on their own mechanical limbs. Desian foot soldiers were intermixed between the machines, armed with their swords, whips, and crossbows accordingly, looking to be indeed ready for battle.

"Raine! We need to move!" Genis said suddenly. Raine whipped her head around to see Genis and Colette crouched beside her, Genis looking distressed.

"What do you mean, Genis?" Raine asked.

"Look at how close we are to the path! If we hide here and they walk by, someone could spot us easily!" Genis whispered, keeping his head down for his own safety.

Raine sighed and nodded. "You're right. We need to move away from the path, but we also need to stay close enough that we can get inside once they're gone. But be careful! We must not draw attention to where we are, or else our plan is ruined." She warned, standing up just enough to move while still crouching down. They moved as one into the forest more before making their way around the pathway, taking care to not leave themselves exposed in the open for longer than a second. Upon reaching a closer point, Raine chanced another glance to see if Cadell and her troops had gone on ahead. Sure enough, the army was well on its way out, with Cadell already beyond their point of view and out of sight.

"Ok, once the last solider has cleared the gate and has turned his back on us, we make our move. We have to be fast, so don't even think of stopping." Raine whispered to her two allies. Colette and Genis looked at each other and nodded before turning back to their teacher and leader. "Alright, the last few appear to be going now. Get ready…" she trailed off.

After what felt like several minutes had passed, the last line of soldiers and machines passed through the gate and began their way down the path. As soon as they had turned away from the base, the gate suddenly began to move back into place. "Go, now!" Raine said as she leapt out of the bushes and towards the gate. Genis and Colette followed up right behind her, and the three quickly covered the ground between their hiding spot and the entrance to the base.

Suddenly, Colette felt her foot catch on something, and began to fall forward. '_No! Not now!'_ she thought vainly as she tripped and fell. Raine and Genis had already dashed beyond the gate's entrance and turned to see the doors closing while Colette was getting back up. "Come on, Colette!" Genis yelled, panic setting in as he realized their friend wasn't with them.

Colette heard Genis' cry and looked up to see the window of opportunity closing fast. She called her wings out and took off from the ground, flying straight to them. She shot right through the small opening right as the gate closed and locked into place; though she was going so fast she ended up knocking Raine and Genis off their feet and to the ground. The three ended up rolling into the doorway that slid open for them and finally came to a stop inside. "Ow…is everyone ok? Colette asked. She put a hand to her head and hissed at feeling a bruise, but knew she was ok aside from that.

"I'm alright, no problems here." Raine said, already standing up and staff in hand. "Genis, are you ok?"

"That depends…are there two Colette's? Or three?" Genis asked dazedly from the floor, his eyes stuck in a comical swirl pattern. Raine walked over and picked him up gently by his shirt before lightly tapping his head (I.E: hard). The action shook Genis awake, and he got up and dusted himself off. "Good thing you had your wings out, Colette, or else you would've been left outside!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry. I tripped again on something, but now we're all ok." Colette apologized.

"Alright, you two. Let's get going. We've got a lot of ground to cover, and not much time." Raine stated, turning to an empty passageway on her right and walking towards it. Genis and Colette followed behind her, both doing their best to not let the quiet of the base get to them.

Raine was quiet as she led the way, her mind thinking back to the army she witnessed leaving. _'I hope we do this quickly; Lloyd, Sheena, and Kratos may be strong, but against such massive numbers, they're gonna need help.' _she thought, and picked up her pace as they moved through the halls of the base.

* * *

**Outskirts of Luin, 10:15 A.M**

Kratos stood atop the rise that Lloyd had been upon before, his eyes keeping a sharp watch on the horizon. Lloyd and Sheena stood behind him, both starting to feel nervous. The eerie quiet and calm of the fields left them uneasy, as it reminded them that they stood out here by themselves to oppose Cadell and her forces. Sheena could feel her legs shaking a little, but stood steadfast and did her best to not show her fear. Lloyd also felt nervous, but he was more anticipating the fight to come, and was worried for Sheena. He didn't know how well she would react to seeing the Psybeluas again, but he knew that if she needed him, he would be right there for her, army or no army.

"Sheena," Lloyd said suddenly, catching the young summoner's attention. "I want you to promise me that if things go bad, if something goes wrong, you will get yourself out of here and to safety."

"What? But why would you ask me that?" She asked, caught off guard by how serious Lloyd sounded.

"Because I don't want you to be captured, or worse, killed. I can handle being taken prisoner if I have to, but no way am I going to let you get caught too. I want you to promise me, Sheena, if I tell you to run, to go." Lloyd turned to look at her, his brown eyes locking with Sheena's own.

Sheena felt herself shiver when she met his gaze, but shook it off and told him, "No. I won't do it."

Lloyd blinked. "Sheena, what are you saying? I couldn't stand the idea of you getting caught by these Desians. Who knows what they might do to you?" he asked.

Sheena's eyes took on a serious glint, and Lloyd could almost feel the intensity roll off of her. "I won't promise you that, because I would feel the same way if you were captured by them. I'm not going to abandon you, Lloyd, not now, not ever. Besides, I wouldn't let myself go down without a fight, and I don't expect you to either. Unless you're too scared to fight them, Mr. Hero of Palmacosta?" she teased, knowing her jest would provoke him.

Lloyd smirked and shook his head. "I should've known you would say that. But alright then, I won't ask you to. You better have my back out there." He replied, turning back to look out on the field.

"Don't worry, I will. I'll expect the same of you." Sheena stated with a matching grin on her face. Her nervousness had left her, replaced with confidence from Lloyd's presence.

"I can see them coming. They're leaving the forest's edge now." Kratos spoke finally, his hand moving to his sword at his side.

'_Here goes nothing. I just hope Genis, Colette, and Raine move quickly, or else we're gonna be in big trouble.' _Lloyd thought to himself before he steeled his will and joined Kratos on the rise, Sheena beside him. The battle for Luin was about to begin.

* * *

Alrighty, that's all done now. You read my little splurge up at the top, but just to reiterate, I'm hoping to see some more reviews for this story. If I see some more, I'll surely work on this faster since I'll know people are enjoying it. Until next time!

Read and Review!


	23. Chapter 23

Muffled sounds emit from a massive pile of papers, books, and folders as the camera zooms in. As it moves closer, one can make out movement underneath the pile, causing papers to slide down in an avalanche of processed trees. With one final push, a hand bursts out from the pile, and begins to claw and drag the body it's attached to out. Soon enough, the body of Raenef the 6th emerges, dirtied, bruised, yet functioning. He turns back to reach into the pile and pulls out another body, Infinite Freedom's, both gasping for air.

Raenef: Finally…*gasp*…we made it out of there. I thought History was gonna kill us for sure. *collapses onto the ground*

I.F: *lifts himself off the ground and quickly falls back down to one knee* No kidding. How the heck did you manage to get past the Mathematics? All those letters and numbers and formulas…*cracks neck*. I'll be feeling this in the morning.

Raenef: They let us use our notes and even have a help software program installed. If that wasn't there, I doubt we would have even made it past rational equations. *rolls over and gets up to move to his computer desk*On top of all that, I gotta update too. Been waiting to kill Cadell for little over a month and a half now. *sits down and starts typing*

I.F: For god's sake, do you ever take a break? *dusts off pants from eraser shavings*

Raenef: No rest for the wicked, my friend…*clicks update button to upload next chapter*

* * *

**So yeah…college work is ridiculous around October and November. They make such a big deal about midterms and essays, but whatever. I made it back, so here's your next chapter! The battle for Luin!**

**Oh, and thank you so much for your positive reviews! It definitely made my day to see them posted up. Now, on with the show!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

**Last time…**

_Lloyd smirked and shook his head. "I should've known you would say that. But alright then, I won't ask you to. You better have my back out there." He replied, turning back to look out on the field._

_"Don't worry, I will. I'll expect the same of you." Sheena stated with a matching grin on her face. Her nervousness had left her, replaced with confidence from Lloyd's presence._

_"I can see them coming. They're leaving the forest's edge now." Kratos spoke finally, his hand moving to his sword at his side._

_'Here goes nothing. I just hope Genis, Colette, and Raine move quickly, or else we're gonna be in big trouble.' Lloyd thought to himself before he steeled his will and joined Kratos on the rise, Sheena beside him. The battle for Luin was about to begin._

* * *

**Inside Cadell's base, 10:30 A.M**

Raine, Genis, and Colette had made progress within the Desian base. So far, they had run into little trouble inside, as most of the forces of the base had left to fight with Cadell, unknowingly leaving the base open for the taking. They had kept an anxious pace, dashing from corridor to corridor, pausing at every crossroads only to check for patrols before moving on ahead. Raine clutched the map in her unoccupied hand, and would reference it every few seconds to insure they were on the right path.

Genis and Colette were slightly winded from so much physical activity, but kept up with the energetic schoolteacher. Colette could still feel a slight headache from her fall earlier, but paid it little heed as she kept running. She had foregone her wings as it was still an effort to keep them active, settling for running like she was now.

"We need to find those prisoners first, especially the one Sheena mentioned before, Mr. Toshio. He can help us get the prisoners out of here while we shut down the rest of the base." Raine stated, glancing at the map before taking another right down a corridor. '_This place feels like an endless maze…how on Sylvarant Sheena managed to find everything is beyond me.'_ Raine thought to herself. "Keep an eye out in case we run into any trouble. We can't let them alert Cadell about us being here. If she finds out, she could very easily turn that army around and ambush us before we could escape."

Another few turns finally led Raine down a long hallway with no doors and only a clearing up ahead. She gripped her staff tighter as they approached it, and was prepared for a fight. Genis and Colette drew their weapons as well, and followed Raine inside. They emerged through the doorway and found themselves inside the remnants of a break room, thankfully lacking any soldiers.

"We should be getting close…look around and see if there's anything we can pick up. We may need a key card of sorts to open the gates." Raine said, pacing around the large sofa that had been placed there.

"I'm not seeing anything over here…" Genis said, opening small cabinets and finding nothing but cups and snacks.

"Maybe they cleaned it up already?" Colette asked, walking over to another door, which slid open on sensing her presence. Awaiting her there was a sentry robot, making her gasp and drawing attention from both the machine and her allies.

"Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!" the robot chirped before it turned to leave, intent on reporting the invasion to the nearest soldier in the base.

"Quick, stop it before it escapes!" Raine yelled, prompting Colette into action. Pulling out one of her chakrams, she drew her arm back before angling her throw to cut at an arc on the robot's side. The metal ring quickly tore through the robot's right side, causing it to crash to the floor and skid. Genis followed up with a Stone Blast spell, materializing solid rock to smash the machine, breaking it and shutting it down.

"That was close!" Genis exclaimed. "Knowing our luck, there's probably more of them all over the base."

"All the more reason that we need to hurry. Come on!" Raine said, moving past the scrap heap of the robot with Genis and Colette behind her.

* * *

**Same time, outskirts of Luin**

It was a quiet standoff as Lloyd, Sheena, and Kratos awaited Cadell's arrival. The wind blew and ruffled their clothes as the sun shined down on them, but none of the fighters paid any heed. Their minds were occupied with what was to come, and each of their heart's pounded a little harder as they witnessed the Desian forces emerge from the forest cover. Upon sighting the Psybeluas, Sheena allowed an unbidden shudder to take her before she shook it off and resolved herself.

Kratos ran a quick estimation in his mind of the number of her forces, and totaled it to be close to what he had expected, if somewhat more. He frowned however upon seeing the Exbeluas and Psybeluas amongst the ranks. '_Should I really have expected otherwise?'_ he thought to himself.

The Desian forces spread out to cover a wide berth behind Cadell as she approached them. Kratos mimicked her, and the two stopped when there were still several yards between them. Neither spoke until finally Cadell gave a short chuckle and said, "What's wrong, Kratos? Too afraid to face me alone on the field of battle?"

Kratos ignored her insult and replied, "It seems to be you who are afraid, Cadell, if you feel so cowardly that you need to travel with the cover of your soldiers."

Cadell's smirk fell to a frown and felt her anger brew within her. "You dare to call me a coward, you wretch?" she growled.

"I only speak the truth of what I see." Kratos stated calmly. He kept a watchful eye in case Cadell moved to attack, his hand at his sword hilt should it be called for to draw it.

Cadell was trembling with fury at the insult. Her, a coward? No, the cowards were the prisoners who were locked away inside the ranch. They, who put up no fight against her might. They, who trembled with fear at the mere mention of her name, the sight of her presence. It was they who were cowards, and she was going to prove it here on the battlefield. Cadell took a breath to compose herself before speaking into her headpiece. "Soldiers, execute plan four dash delta. Divide forces to match our opposition. Machine forces, remain with me, but do not attack until my command. Psybeluas break off and target the summoner. The rest of you, focus your attention on the duel-swordsman. Do not allow them to converge or work together." She clicked off her mic and turned her attention back to Kratos as she heard her army move into their assigned positions. "I'll let my army have their fun with your friends you brought with you. In the meantime, your opponent will be me and me alone."

Lloyd and Sheena, seeing the forces split apart into separate sections, moved to follow them. Sheena steeled herself as she found herself looking at the group of disfigured Psybeluas and Exbeluas. The Exbeluas would be no problem for her to take on; the Psybeluas would be a challenge, though. '_Something tells me this won't be a pretty picture when this battle is over.'_ She thought to herself as she drew out her seal cards and waited.

Lloyd found himself facing a large company of foot soldiers, each wielding swords or whips, but all with an equally arrogant expression. Lloyd himself smirked as he realized that they had already underestimated him as an enemy, with him being the sole opposition while they had strength in numbers. His smirk grew larger as he saw that many of them had little training with their weapons. Some held their swords too high along the grip, which limited the range of the slash. Others held them too low, giving them more range, but less speed. Lloyd popped his knuckles before he drew his blades and set himself into a ready stance.

No one moved or made a sound as the wind blew. Pulses pounded in everyone's hearts as time seemed to slow, as if it had taken an invested interested in witnessing this battle. Blades gleamed in the sunlight as the clouds that were in the sky drifted away, letting the sun radiate and light up the field. Cadell finally broke out of the silence and yelled, "Attack! Kill them all!" which signaled the Psybeluas, Exbeluas, and soldiers to move forward. (**Music Cue: Sons of War, by Two Steps from Hell)** She turned her attention back to Kratos, who had still not drawn his weapon. She smirked before snapping her fingers, making the silent machines suddenly come to life. They swarmed over and around her and Kratos, forming a ring of machinery that separated the two from the other battles.

Kratos didn't even bat an eye as the drones moved around him, his attention solely on Cadell. He decided enough was enough and drew his sword and shield out at the ready. "Don't worry," he heard Cadell say, "The drones aren't for combat. It's simply to make sure you don't try to run from me when you realize you can't win." '_Amongst a few other surprises I have ready for you…'_ she thought to herself as she took a ready stance with her lance held behind her back. Kratos' only reply was to charge forward and make the first move, swinging his sword down in a long arc down on Cadell's head. She drew her lance forward and blocked the slash, sparks flying as metal grinded on metal.

"Come now, is this the best that the great Kratos can do? That was akin to the breeze in strength." Cadell taunted before pushing him back and taking a side swipe at Kratos, the sharpened edge meeting his prepared shield and being deflected.

"Funny, it was enough to end the life of that fool you called your master." Kratos replied before moving in with a Sonic Thrust, causing Cadell to leap back to avoid being skewered. She landed gracefully, her lance at her side as she sat crouched forward, tensed and ready to move.

"When this fight is over, Kratos, we'll see who truly is the fool." Cadell growled before charging forward again to assault Kratos.

* * *

**With Lloyd**

Lloyd stood poised and ready in the middle of a circle made up of Desian soldiers, having given himself a little space from them after stopping their initial charge with a well-planted Beast, knocking many soldiers off their feet and giving him room to breathe. He awaited their next move, his eyes shooting back and forth from soldier to soldier. Finally, one tried to attack him from behind, thinking he wouldn't think to protect his backside. He was rewarded with being disarmed and sent to the ground unconscious via Demon Fang. "Surely you can try harder than this?" Lloyd said, mocking them. Several soldiers swarmed him at once, each trying to get a slash in to harm the swordsman. He quickly ducked and rolled out of the incoming attack, causing the soldiers to crash into each other while Lloyd leapt forward into another group, catching them off guard and finishing them with a combination of Sword Rain and Sonic Thrust.

"Dammit, you idiots! We can't just throw ourselves at him! We need some sort of plan!" one soldier finally yelled.

"Well, I don't see you doing anything! So far, all you've done is hide behind Todd and Clarke!" Another soldier replied.

"If someone doesn't do the thinking, then we're all just gonna end up being killed. Besides, I'm sure you did a lot of thinking when you fell on your butt earlier, didn't you, James?"

Lloyd sweat-dropped as he was forgotten for the moment amongst the argument between the two soldiers. '_These guys make me look like Genis…'_ he thought to himself. His sweatdrop soon turned into an angry tick as the argument continued, now including half of the gathered soldiers. After several more minutes of name calling and insult exchanges, Lloyd decided to just simply get back to it himself and sprinted towards an off-guard soldier, yelling "Super Sonic Thrust!" as he charged. Wind swirled around the blade as it neared its target, and gave the blade more momentum to ram it through the soldier. Deciding to rub it in even more, Lloyd kept the attack going, and pushed himself through several soldiers before finally emerging out of the circle, corpses lying in his wake. He turned back around to see the rest of the soldiers who had stopped arguing and were looking at him, mouths agape.

"Right then. Let's kill him!" and with that, they surged forward to try and take on the duel-wielding warrior.

**With Sheena**

The summoner found herself at better odds with the demented figures of the Psybeluas and Exbeluas. Their movements were slow, though their attacks carried much power in them. One dodge from Sheena rewarded the earth beneath her with a deep crater, convincing her to not allow the monsters any chance to land a blow on her. Her agility and speed proved to be her most useful tool so far, able to dash from lumbering beast to beast, striking quickly with seals that knocked them back or stunned them. She had even managed to turn it to where she could manipulate them into striking each other, with the right timing. She had taken down one Exbelua with such a feat, with the monster receiving a wicked upper-cut from a Psybelua that knocked it off its feet. Sheena remained on her guard, though; there was no telling if these beings had more tricks up their sleeves to pull out on her.

Sheena dodged another wide swing from a Psybelua and leapt atop it, landing on its backside and planting a pyre seal at the base of its head. The concussive blast that followed the seal caused the monster's head to twist at an odd angle, effectively rendering it paralyzed and broken. '_Two down already…maybe I've overestimated their abilities?'_ Sheena thought to herself as she moved on to her next target, another Exbelua. She prepared another Pyre Seal only for her instincts to suddenly yell at her to dodge. She immediately broke off her attack and leapt to the left, narrowly avoiding a large blast of fire issued by a Psybelua. It had its hands up and aimed at her, and as she watched, another large fireball formed in-between its claws.

"They can cast magic?" she exclaimed before dodging again. She could feel the heat being issued from the spell, and ducked to avoid another swipe aimed at her head by an Exbelua. Recovering quickly, Sheena jumped back to survey her opponents. 5 Psybelua and 3 Exbelua stared back at her. In her peripheral vision, Sheena watched as the Psybelua she'd just finished off get back up, a hand shoving its head back into place. "Make that 6…this is gonna be a tough battle…" she told herself as she prepared for another assault, the Exbeluas charging forward at her while the Psybeluas held back.

* * *

**10:45 A.M, Cadell's base**

"I think…yes, it's up ahead!" Raine exclaimed suddenly. The trio had delved further into the base, traveling even more carefully after the run-in with the patrolling machine. They had run into a few more, but each had been dispatched quickly before raising any form of alarm. Raine had been inspecting the map when she suddenly leapt up and took off without caution. "Finally, the prison room! I thought we'd never find it."

They came across a closed doorway that opened when they approached it. Stepping inside, they were greeted with the sight of a bare room, save for the prison cells filled with the captured citizens of Luin. Colette ran up to them first and got their attention immediately. "It's ok, everyone! We're here to help you escape!" she said, and received many cheers in reply. Raine approached a nearby console and went to work on getting it to open the jail doors. She didn't get much time though, as another door opened behind them, revealing several guards headed up by a commander.

He gave a start at seeing the intruders inside the base. None of the alarms had been tripped, and the cameras hadn't picked up any movement outside of patrols. He had been bored enough that he had came down here to torture some of the prisoners to pass the time. "What the hell? They're trying to escape!" he exclaimed, slamming his staff for emphasis. "Stop them! Don't let anyone escape!" The foot soldiers immediately surged forward, blades drawn and crossbows ready. The commander followed after them, intent on eliminating the new faces.

Genis was off to the side out of sight from the Desians, and upon hearing their entrance, had immediately acted on instinct. Calling upon the element of ice, he chose to spread a wide range of it before they could even get to Raine and Colette. "Icicle!" he yelled, and the floor in front of the Desians froze over with a slick sheet of ice. None of them could react in time to stop themselves before they went sprawling to the ground, weapons clattering as they lost traction.

Colette's eyes picked up what looked like a key card that was beside a fumbling guard who was trying to use his crossbow to get back up. She pulled out her wings and flew over; catching the guard by surprise and making him fall again, only to watch as she picked up the key card and fly back over to Raine. "Here you go, Professor! This should help!" Colette said. The prisoners watched awestruck as this small girl suddenly sprouted wings and one little girl asked her mother, "Mommy, is she an angel?"

The girl's mother replied, "I'm not sure, honey, but she's the closest thing to it that we got."

Raine immediately ran over to the cell gates and slid the card through a small machine beside each cell. The doors lifted up and the prisoners bolted out, eager and ready to be free from the hellhole they'd been forced into. Many of them charged at the fallen Desians and went to work returning the punishments they had endured twofold. Raine tuned them out and called out before they could get too far, "Toshio Cosine! Sheena sent us to find you! Where are you?" She watched as a tall young man stepped out from the crowd and approached them. This caught the crowd's attention, and they paused from beating on the fallen guards for their well-earned punishment.

"What do you need?" He asked quickly. Raine held back a flinch as she met a glare that seemed on par with Kratos' own. "We need to get these people out of here as quick as possible before word gets out of our escape."

"Precisely. However, we still need to eliminate this base for the rest of our plan to succeed. The rest of our group is currently holding off Cadell's army and keeping her attention while we broke in. We need to find the room where the main access to the base is located. Can you guide us there?" Raine elaborated.

Toshio seemed to consider it before he turned to the mass of civilians. "Thomas, Peter, lead these folks outside. Make sure they're kept safe. We'll be right out after you. I need to help these three find something in the base" he said to two other men in the group. They nodded to him and began herding the citizens out of the room, while Toshio walked over to where the guards had come through. The commander was still conscious though struggling to move after being assailed by the mass of prisoners. He noticed Toshio approaching and reached for his staff, but Toshio kicked it away.

At his feet, Toshio picked up a sword and seemed to busy himself with examining it. "The room where Cadell controlled the base. What protections are there in place and how do we get past them?" he asked off-handedly.

"Why would I tell you that, you inferior bei-GRAGH!" the commander began to reply, but he was cut off as Toshio made a slashing motion with the sword, cutting across the Desian's exposed midriff and causing a gash to form. Not very deep, but painful enough to make a point.

"Let's try that again. And for every wrong answer you give me, it will be another slash." Toshio said. He held up the blade for emphasis as he asked again, "What is protecting the main control room?"

The commander looked ready to give another retort, but wavered when he saw the sword twitch above him. "It's…it's protected by a key card and password code. If you have those, you'll get inside with no trouble." He stated, his eyes beneath his helm watching the blade.

Toshio seemed satisfied and turned to leave, allowing the commander to sigh. It was the last breath he took as Toshio turned back around suddenly and ran the blade through his chest, making the commander cough up blood as fluid entered his lungs. "Grag…wh…why?" he questioned.

Toshio's eyes were cold as he looked down on the fading Desian. "For the crimes you have committed in the past. For the harm that you have brought onto innocents. For the pain and torture you put these people, my people, through. There is no mercy for you or anyone like you. Not from my hands." He replied before heading through the doorway, picking up another sword to defend himself with. Raine and the others had watched mystified by Toshio's actions, and quickly snapped out of their stupor as they followed Toshio through the doorway.

The group of four raced through the base, following Toshio every step of the way. He kept quiet, never speaking unless it was to give directions on where to go. Raine had foregone the map and chose to follow Toshio's directions, as he would've had more knowledge of this building than Sheena would have. Colette kept her wings out and flew behind her, her thoughts drifting to Lloyd as she kept pace. '_We're coming, Lloyd…please be safe out there. Goddess, watch over him.'_ She prayed silently.

Genis kept his eyes on Toshio from the back as they moved, his own thoughts focused on the new member of their group. "Hey, Toshio," he suddenly asked, "How long have you been stuck in here?"

Toshio was quiet for a moment before replying, "A couple of months now. I can't remember exactly when."

"How do you know the way through here? I thought they kept everyone inside the cells?"

Toshio grimaced, and Genis regretted asking his question. "Let's just say I've seen it and remembered it. Leave it at that." He stated, his eyes distant as he recalled numerous individuals being carried away from him: his friends, his family, even his girlfriend were taken from him. Resolve came into him and Toshio picked up his pace, turning down another long corridor that led to a large portal with a keypad in front of it. "There it is!" he exclaimed.

Raine went up to the keypad and used the key card she'd gotten off the guard and was rewarded with a small green light next to the keypad. On the keypad's screen, she watched as a space for a code appeared, along with a typing pad beneath it. "Do you know the code, Toshio?" she asked, turning to him.

Toshio shook his head. "As far as I know, they change the code every two weeks, to keep up security. I did my best to keep track of them, see if there was a pattern. But I hadn't found out this week's particular code. I'm sorry." He replied.

"Don't worry about it. We just need to figure out a possible code that would be used for security." Raine said, as she began running over possibilities in her mind. Going off what information she knew, there were still many possibilities as to just what could be the proper code. Worse, she suspected that if they input the wrong code, then a security alarm might activate, unleashing who knows what as a counter-measure. "If only there was some way we could figure it out…" she muttered to herself.

Colette saw her teacher under distress and moved forward to console her, when a familiar nudge on her back was felt. She considered it a nudge as it was always some sort of force behind her that made her trip, like she was now. She began to lean forward while Raine remained in thought. Genis spared her a glance and didn't realize she was falling until he turned to look again. But by that point, it was already too late. Colette completed the fall and crashed into her teacher, who in turn gave a short "eep!" before she too fell, hitting the keypad with her head and falling to the floor underneath Colette.

"Sis! You ok?" Genis asked, rushing over to help his sister. He helped her up and shook her. Her eyes had become swirls and she was muttering away, making Genis sweatdrop as she heard her mention various ruins and artifacts he had heard her talk about in class. "Yep, she's ok…" he muttered to himself before laying her back down gently. He walked over to where the keypad was and noticed that the second green light was active, meaning that both security measures were cleared. "Looks like we don't need to figure it out after all. Colette's trip must've somehow hit the right keys to type in the right code."

Toshio looked from the keypad to Colette, who was on her feet and helping Raine get back up, and then back to Genis. "You sure she's the Chosen One?" he asked, a sweatdrop on the back of his head.

Genis nodded and replied, "Trust me; you're just seeing the tip of the iceberg here."

Toshio decided to let it be for now and keep going. "We should get moving. Those civilians aren't likely to wait long before they decide to leave us behind. Not to mention your friends are still out there." He stated, bringing everyone's minds back to the matter at hand. Gathering themselves back together, the four stepped through the portal and were whisked away to the control room.

* * *

**11:00 A.M, outskirts of Luin**

Lloyd slashed down another soldier and rolled to his left to avoid a blade to the chest. He lashed out with a Fierce Demon Fang that sent another two reeling back, letting him get his breath for a moment. Most of the first group that had attacked him was gone, either disarmed and unconscious or dead, yet it seems Cadell had taken measures to hide more in the forest area. For every one he killed, another would take its place. He had tried to see how Sheena was holding up, but couldn't break away unless he wanted to drag all of the soldiers to Sheena, which would've undoubtedly caused more trouble for both of them.

Three soldiers tried to charge him at once, each of their blades coming from a different angle of attack. Lloyd reacted and pulled both of his blades behind him before yelling, "Sonic Sword Rain!" With blinding speed, multiple slashes appeared on the soldiers' body and arms, taking out two of them while the third kept moving. On the final slash, Lloyd put more speed into it and thrust the blade through the open target of the Desian's right shoulder, rendering his sword arm useless. Lloyd finished him off with a vertical strike, swinging down and ending the soldier's life. He looked up to see more of them charging at him, and realized just what Cadell's strategy had been for his situation. She was trying to wear him down, using every soldier she's got, until he ran out of steam and be unable to fight her or her remaining forces. If he kept up this pace, it would be the end of him.

Lloyd grimaced as he realized he was unable to help his father either. Ever since the beginning of the conflict, he had vanished behind a swarm of machines that hid him and Cadell from view. He knew Kratos could handle himself, but would feel better to see him in person than see nothing but Desian machines. "Looks like I'll have to step it up a notch if we want to win this battle." He muttered to himself. '_But first things first. I need to handle these soldiers and get them out of the way, or else I'll be stuck here all day.'_ Lloyd then charged forward to meet the Desian soldiers head on, blades out at his sides as he ran. Before they could reach him, Lloyd suddenly leapt up and extended his arms out, using the sun to block their vision of him. They cringed as they looked up to follow him, only to be blinded by the orb of light. Before their vision could recover, they heard him cry, "Rising Falcon!" and saw a shadow swoop down towards them.

Lloyd used the momentum from his fall to propel himself at the soldiers. When he was upon them, he quit holding back and slashed with all his strength, taking out half of the remaining force in one strike. The remaining half had been knocked aside, too far out of reach from the blades lethal touch, but they could still feel the wind rush by from the attack. Lloyd quickly turned around on landing and charged again at the fallen soldiers. They saw him coming, but couldn't move quick enough to defend themselves. Lloyd slammed into them with tremendous force, knocking many of them off their feet and into the air. "Hunting…" he called out as he jumped above them, flipping forward and bringing one of his blades with him, "…Beast!" he finished, and slammed into the ground with the soldiers, releasing a large wave of force that sent many of them flying away from Lloyd.

He looked around him and saw no more attackers coming after him. Feeling drained, Lloyd pulled out an orange gel and quickly consumed it, replenishing his mana and leaving him feeling refreshed. Lloyd looked and saw that the machine dome, as he called it, was still intact, though it looked like electricity was surging around it. Lloyd then turned to look for Sheena and saw her fighting with the Psybeluas. She had managed to defeat the Exbeluas, judging by their fallen corpses, but looked to be in trouble taking on the Psybeluas alone. Lloyd needed no further thinking and dashed to support Sheena.

* * *

**With Kratos**

"You know, you are a skilled warrior, I will give you that. But you're still no match for me, not even close." Cadell taunted, lashing out with her staff and meeting Kratos' shield. The two had been evenly matched throughout their battle, neither gaining nor losing ground against the other. While Cadell felt she was putting up a good fight, Kratos was almost…bored. He would give her credit for being able to fight, and for limiting the room they had to fight in. But what she had in tactical ability, she appeared to lack in fighting strength. She could not overwhelm him in power, remaining mostly on the defensive.

"You're right, Cadell. I'm not your match." Kratos stated as he swung his blade and forced her to leap back. "I'm much better than that, far more than you could ever hope to achieve."

Cadell growled at the insult and charged up a Lightning spell while she still had distance between the two. "Try this on for size then, fool!" she yelled as an arc of electricity left her fingertips and aimed for Kratos. Kratos quickly used Guardian, the bright green shield deflecting the spell away. It screamed towards a machine, when something unexpected happened. It reflected the magic, launching the magic to another machine, then again, and continuously until it appeared to be a mere blur to a normal being's eyes. Kratos kept his eyes on it, ready for it to suddenly pop out and strike. It came from behind, crackling as it aimed for the middle of his back. Kratos ducked and raised his shield, the electricity sparking as it met. The shield held, though when the spell finally finished, the shield's wooden portions were left smoking, and was hot to the touch.

'_Interesting…the machines can reflect electricity like light off a mirror.'_ Kratos thought to himself. He was brought back to reality by Cadell's laughing, and turned to face her.

"Amazing, is it not, what machines can accomplish? I've designed these beauties to be able to absorb electricity and reflect it at my command. If not for your precious shield, Kratos, you would've likely become nothing more than a smudge of ash on the spot." Cadell explained, laughing evilly at the mental image of an electrocuted Kratos. She turned her attention back to his shield, and 'hmm-ed' in thought. "That shield is awfully troublesome to me, Kratos. I'm afraid it'll just have to go." She turned on her headset and spoke into it, "Activate Zeta program, 100% effectiveness. All restraints off."

Kratos watched as the machines all around him surged with power, and began giving off electricity in much larger quantities than what he'd seen before. It gathered together and coalesced in one spot, directly above him, before spreading around the entire circle of machines and traveling faster than he could follow. He felt a sudden tug at his side and saw his sword lifting itself up slightly, becoming more and more active as more and more electricity surged. His shield too began reacting the same way, leaving him confused as to just what was going on. It distracted him enough that he missed Cadell moving forward to strike at him. She had her staff raised to strike when Kratos realized his guard was open.

He lifted his shield to block and pushed his sword arm behind it to cover the blow. Cadell came within range and almost struck when she suddenly altered her movement and swung upwards from beneath his guard, aiming at the bottom of his shield than the normal middle. She struck hard, and Kratos felt his grip on the shield loosen, the vibrations from the hit echoing through his body. His shield left his hand, followed by his sword, and he stumbled back to watch as they flew to the top of the machine dome and stuck to the ceiling of it.

Cadell laughed maniacally as her plan had succeeded. "Do you see now, Kratos? I can use the power stored in these machines to turn this dome into a literal magnetic force, causing anything metallic to instantly be pulled away. Now, you have no shield to defend yourself with, or a sword to attack with. How can you possibly hope to stand a chance against me?" she cackled, reveling in the moment.

'_Damn,' _Kratos thought to himself,_ 'It seems I've underestimated this one's abilities. In that case, it looks like the gloves need to come off.'_ Kratos let his arms rest at his sides, his hair hiding his eyes in shadow as he awaited Cadell's next move.

"Aww…has the great Kratos given up already?" Cadell taunted. "If that's so, then I'll give you a quick and painless death, as a token of the kindness in my heart." She charged forward, lance thrust forward and ready to impale Kratos. She came within ten feet…five…three when she saw him move. He ducked and moved to the left to avoid being run through by the lance, using his right arm to shoulder away the weapon while his left arm swung around with a nasty left hook. It caught Cadell straight on the jaw, and Kratos quickly followed up with a swift kick in her abdomen, sending her flying back off her feet. Cadell coughed and shook her head to clear off the dizziness from the blow to her head. "How did you-" she started, when she saw Kratos standing in the same spot as she had left him.

"I'll give you credit for disarming me. Not many can say that they have accomplished that. But if you believe that my abilities lie solely with my sword, I'm afraid you've made a deadly mistake." Kratos stated, one arm resting behind his back while his other stretched out in front of him in a ready position, palm upward. His legs were shoulder length apart, and tensed, ready to move if need be.

"Since when does a noble warrior hit a woman?" Cadell snarled at him.

"Since when was I fighting a woman?" Kratos replied, and Cadell charged forward to continue the fight.

* * *

**With Sheena and Lloyd**

Sheena's breath came in ragged gasps as she stood on shaky legs. She had managed to eliminate the Exbeluas that had charged after her while the Psybeluas remained behind them, casting spells from afar and keeping her on her toes. With a few well-placed seals and acrobatics, she had taken them down with relatively enough ease. Moving on to the Psybeluas though, Sheena found herself at a disadvantage. The usual methods that would've eliminated an Exbelua didn't apply to these monsters. Every time she thought she had succeeded in subduing one, it would repair itself and get back up. No matter where she struck, at the head, limbs, or otherwise, they would not go down.

As if that wasn't bad enough, during the fight, she sensed they had gotten a power boost somehow. The timing of their casting was sped up, coming in quicker intervals and leaving her less chances of having an open shot to attack. They kept screeching at such a high pitch that it would sometimes leave her reeling, barely gaining her senses in time to dodge another attack. Their arms seemed to bulge and grow larger, dragging beside them as they charged at her.

She drew herself out of her thoughts and leapt to avoid being hit by another Flame Lance, the flames casting a heated glow behind her as she felt the waves press against her back. Running forward, Sheena pulled out two seal cards and ducked to avoid another swipe aimed for her head, leaping above the attacker and coming down to land on its broad shoulder. She quickly planted a Power Seal Absolute, causing its defense to be lowered. The monster sensed the invasion of its body and turned its head to screech at Sheena in rage. In response, Sheena turned and shoved a Pyre Seal into its open mouth with as much force as she could. She leapt off before her arm could be eaten and watched as the Psybelua struggled to try and remove the invader from its mouth, but its hands were too large to even make an attempt before the Seal went off, imploding a tremendous force inside of it. The backside of its head appeared to bulge out before it exploded, and the Psybelua collapsed and, much to Sheena's relief, did not get back up.

The victory was short lived though, as another Psybelua attacked her, swinging a large fist as one would a club at her side. The blow connected, and Sheena was knocked off her feet and sent rolling. She could feel at least one rib was cracked, making it difficult for her to breathe and move. One wrong move and it could puncture her lung, rendering her as useless as a newborn.

The Psybeluas stalked towards her, ready to end her life. Sheena tried to get up, only to wince at the pain in her side. She stood, and drew out one last seal card. If she was gonna go down, she was gonna go down with a fight. The lead Psybelua screeched and swung its arm back to strike, and Sheena tensed to prepare for the incoming blow. But before the attack could connect, the arm was suddenly cut off, the Psybelua sent reeling back from the loss of its limb. In front of her, Sheena felt her spirits soar as Lloyd stood ready, blades drawn and ready to fight.

"Sheena, you ok? Are you hurt?" Lloyd asked. He kept his eyes on the Psybeluas, who were keeping their distance as they observed the newcomer to the fight.

"I'm alright, if a little banged up. These guys are hard to kill, Lloyd. I only managed to get one with a Pyre Seal to the mouth, and even then, that was lucky. They recover from my attacks with ease. I broke one's neck, and it simply got back up and set it back into place." Sheena stood up and pulled out a mélange gel, consuming it and feeling energized. The gel went to work on healing the pain in her side. It wasn't completely gone, but it was no longer a hindrance to her.

"Well, at least they can only attack at close range, right?" Lloyd asked, turning to face her. She was about to reply when she saw a Psybelua charging up an earth spell, and yelled, "Move!" Lloyd caught on and jumped as Sheena did, both avoiding being sent flying by a Stalagmite attack. The earth erupted behind them as they landed.

"Ok, so they can cast spells and fight at close range. Tell me they can't do anything else." Lloyd said.

"As far as I know, that's about it. That and I'm sure they can't beat us." She stated, grinning confidently. Lloyd matched her grin and nodded. They turned to face the incoming attackers, and charged to meet them head on.

**Cadell's base, same time**

* * *

The group of four reappeared inside the massive control room that oversaw the base's operations. It was empty of any soldiers or patrolling machines, the consoles left on and still running. Raine went straight to work, finding the nearest console and setting to work on shutting down the base. She found that the computers were all heavily encrypted, and would take time to hack into. "Genis, Colette, make sure that no one else comes through to follow us. This isn't going to be as easy as I would've thought."

The two nodded in understanding and drew their weapons, being ready in case something was to attack. It wouldn't be too much to expect a trap to trigger because of their intrusion. Colette reached out with her hearing and found no footsteps nearby, for the moment. She reached out further, and heard faintly a growing hum of energy. She did her best to pinpoint it, but found that it was coming from somewhere in the base that was away from them. "I can hear something moving, like a loud humming noise when a big machine is on. I'm not sure where it is though." Colette reported.

Toshio overheard her and ran up, asking "How loud a hum? Can you make anything else out about it?"

Colette closed her eyes and focused again, and found the noise, only louder this time. "No, but its louder now. It's getting closer to us. Professor!" she turned to her teacher, still hard at work on the computer.

"I'm going as fast as I can. I've almost got it." She replied, eyes and hands a blur as she moved through firewalls and protections like a bullet out of a gun. "I'm in!" she exclaimed, when a loud alarm went off. The screen turned red as an automatic voice came to life, saying "Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Breach in main control area!" and repeating it every few seconds. Raine immediately set to work at shutting it off, and finally succeeded, but a loud rumble through the base told her she was too late.

"I know what that is. It's the biggest of the machines in this whole base. I heard that Cadell specifically requested one from another of the Grand Cardinals as a failsafe for intruders." Toshio stated, grimacing as another rumble shook the room. "The Executioner."

At this, a bright green light shone in the room, and everyone shielded their eyes. When the light cleared, a loud humming noise could be heard, the vibrations actually shaking each of them as their sight cleared to behold a massive machine. It's mass occupied at least a quarter of the room, towering over them. Its metal armor gleamed in the light as it pointed twin guns at the group. They had long barrels, and at the back, a secondary compartment was visible, no doubt with extra weapons. Its head, though small, shone bright green as it scanned over them each.(1) "Intruders: You have ten seconds to lay down your weapons and surrender. Comply or you will be annihilated." It said, using a monotone voice as it took a step forward, shaking the room.

"I just escaped from a living hell and you want me to go back to it? Over my dead body!" Toshio yelled, brandishing his blade.

"Acknowledged. Prepare to be eliminated." The executioner stated as it aimed a cannon at Toshio, charging up to fire.

"Scatter!" Genis yelled, and everyone dashed away from each other as it fired, blasting a large hole through the floor. Colette attacked first and threw her chakram, aiming for the cannon that had just fired. It bounced off, leaving no mark of damage before it returned to her. Colette pulled out her wings and flew to avoid being stepped on as the machine moved towards her.

Genis tried using fireball spells to damage it, but found that it was ineffective as well. "We can't penetrate its armor! It's too strong!" he yelled.

Toshio ran and rolled underneath the Executioner, coming up behind it and out of sight. "Colette, lift me up to its head! It may have a weak point there!" he yelled. Colette nodded and flew over to him, lifting him up with ease as she came to level height with the robot's head. It rotated and scanned Colette and Toshio while it fired another shot at Genis, who jumped out of the way before he got fried. "Aerial capabilities analyzed. Activating defensive missiles." It stated before the compartments on the cannons opened, revealing several tubes that opened and fired miniature rockets that pursued Colette. Colette moved and dropped Toshio on its head while she avoided being hit by the projectiles, weaving and rolling as they detonated behind her.

Toshio lifted his blade and stabbed it inside a small opening where the armor of the machine's shoulder met the head. He was rewarded with several sparks as he cut wires and circuits within the Executioner. "Error! Error! Internal damage occurred. Efficiency reduced to 80%! Stabilization matrix deactivated!" it rang out before shaking Toshio off of it. Toshio landed and stumbled, but ignored the pain in his legs as he ran to avoid the behemoth's back step.

"Try this on for size! Icicle!" Genis yelled, casting the ice magic at the machine's feet. The loss in traction caused it to immediately stumble and fall back, making everyone else wave their arms to hold their ground. "That wasn't so bad…" Genis stated, but was cut off as the Executioner's legs detached, and twin jets issued out from the backside.

"Activating aerial combat mode. Operation efficiency at 60%. All safety protocols bypassed. Elimination of intruders top priority." It said as it hovered in front of them.

"Oh, come on!" Genis yelled as he jumped to avoid another cannon shot. "Doesn't this thing have a weakness?"

Raine had been watching from afar the whole time, analyzing the machine for any strategy she could create. Every strategy was thwarted due to the being's armor; it resisted any attack they made against it. '_Where do we find a weakness on a machine that has no weakness?' _she racked her mind for answers, when something clicked. '_If it doesn't have a weakness, then logic stands for you to make a weakness.' _She answered herself. She looked down at the ice where the machine's legs had been left on the ground, then back to Genis as he cast another fireball, impacting and leaving little scorch marks, but relatively no damage otherwise.

"Genis, I need you to cast an ice spell where you just hit with those fireballs! Then keep cycling between the two, on that same area!" she exclaimed. Genis turned to her and nodded before beginning to cast the magic. "Colette, Toshio, we need to keep this thing distracted while Genis does his magic. Don't let it interrupt him!" Raine went to work and cast Photon on the Executioner, pausing its motion as it was caught in the light spell. "Photon!" she yelled, and the spell burst, stunning it as light expelled from its sides. A patch of ice soon appeared and crystallized on the machine's armor, and Raine could hear a crunching sound as the metal weakened.

"Armor malfunction. Integrity at 50%." The Executioner spoke as it opened fire on Colette and Toshio. Both moved to avoid being blown away by missiles, Colette knocked down by the blast wave while Toshio rolled in the opposite direction.

"Excellent, Genis! Now, Fireball again, then ice!" she said, casting a healing spell on Colette who had been knocked to the ground. She quickly flew back up and was back in action. Two more rounds of spells later and Raine could tell that it was time to act. The armor had become fractured, cracks visible and hindering the Executioner's ability to turn. "Now, Colette!" the angelic Chosen turned and threw both of her chakrams at the cracked armor, yelling "Dual Ray thrust!" They connected and grinded against the armor, finally breaking through before flying back to her.

"Warning! Warning! Exterior armor damaged! Integrity at 30% and falling!" it yelled, urgency detected in the monotone voice.

"Time to shut this thing up once and for all!" Toshio yelled. He charged forward and thrust his blade into the exposed hole, cutting various wires and running it all the way in as far as he could. Sparks emitted out and Toshio let go before he was electrocuted from the metallic blade. He fell back and landed on his back, watching as the Executioner wavered on its last legs.

"Power core breached…propulsion systems failing…Executioner unit…shutting…down…" the voice winded down, before it finally fell to the ground and through the floor, said floor having been structurally weakened by the various cannon shots fired through it.

"Yes!" Genis cheered, as Colette gave a two fingered sign of victory to him. "Dwarven Vow number 7!" he exclaimed.

"Justice and love will always win!" Colette finished.

Toshio looked over at them and simply shook his head. '_Who would come up with such a strange saying?'_ he thought.

"Alright, time to get some help out to Lloyd and the others." Raine said as she walked back over to the unharmed computer. She typed in a few commands and located the program that held master control over all machines in and out of the base. She executed the shutdown command, and watched as the list of units went from active to offline. That task done, she next found the program controlling the Psybeluas. Apparently, from what she could understand, Cadell controlled the Psybeluas through an electronic link implanted within the monsters. It also appeared to be acting as some form of a boosting agent for the monsters. She went to work shutting them down and grinned as she watched them too turn off. "Ok, one last task…blowing this whole base off the map." Raine stated, drawing attention from Toshio and the rest.

"I hope you'll give us enough time to get out of here? I'm pretty sure I'm done running for my life right about now." Toshio said.

"Of course I will. But I'd rather not leave it to chance for this base to be rediscovered by anyone. If you want to go on ahead and get back outside, I'll follow you. I need to type in the commands in order to initiate the process." Raine explained. "Take Genis and Colette with you. They'll help you organize the civilians outside."

Toshio nodded and turned to the other two fighters. "Let's go, you two. We should get out of here before we're all blasted to kingdom come." He said before he walked out the door. Genis turned to her sis and was about to ask before she said, "I know, Genis. I'll be right behind you, I promise. Go on ahead." She glanced up from the computer and smiled at him to reassure him.

Genis nodded and followed Colette out, leaving Raine to her work. Raine set to the task and went to work. There was no actual self-destruct command for the base, contrary to belief. She had to activate several processes in order to cause it to happen. She turned on all the emergency power storage units in the base and began flooding the network, at the same time, turning off all safeguards to make sure nothing would prevent her from continuing. As she went about the task, she came across a window that asked, "Base operations at risk. Protocol requires immediate purging or transfer of data. Please select method to handle said data." A calm voice spoke from the computer.

'_It would be just as easy to purge the data and be done with it…but there might be something useful in here for us later on down the road, in case we run into anymore Desians.'_ Raine thought to herself. "Transfer data to storage disk for removal. Include all information pertaining to The Chosen One, as well as any information on bases, operations, and any other high class information. Upon completion, delete and eliminate all data stored here, and insure that no trace remains." She commanded.

"Understood. Processing request now…" the computer replied, and a small whirring sound was heard before a small slot opened at the top of the console. "Please remove disk and evacuate immediately. Systems will overload and terminate within 15 minutes. Evacuate immediately."

Alarms began to go off again as Raine took the disk and pocketed it. She hefted up her staff and made for the exit, the console behind her sparking and smoking as it began to feel the effects of the electrical overload. She arrived outside and found the others moving out, and quickly caught up with them. "Let's head out! We need to meet up with Lloyd, Kratos, and Sheena!" she exclaimed, and the mass headed out for Luin.

* * *

**Outskirts of Luin, 11:15 A.M**

Cadell's plan had been foolproof. She had removed her opponent's effective means of attack, while cutting off his route of escape and keeping him within sight. Her forces were more than enough to handle the stragglers that Kratos had with him, surely so. The Psybeluas were terror on the battlefield, and were more than enough for the inferior beings to face. And once she had bested Kratos and killed him as he had killed her master, she would eliminate the Chosen and shine in the eyes of her leader, Lord Yggdrasill! He would even make her stand above Lady Pronyma as the new leader of the Desians! None would surpass her power, and she would reign supreme!

Now, however, a small inkling of doubt rose within her, as she continued to face-off with the powerful mercenary. She had believed that in disarming Kratos, she would render him defenseless and without a means of attack. The bruises forming underneath her armor now told her otherwise and that in hindsight, she should have counted on Kratos being more versatile on the battlefield. The man was a fiend with a sword, but seemed to also be just the same with his fists alone. He ducked, swerved, weaved, and struck with intense ferocity, using his speed to his advantage. She couldn't even begin to cast a spell without having to try and avoid being struck down by Kratos.

"How can you be so strong? You shouldn't be able to fight like this. I've disarmed you! Rendered you weaponless!" she exclaimed in frustration.

Kratos stood opposite her, cold determination and confidence shining in his eyes. '_If only she knew…'_ he thought. "A true fighter is a warrior who does not limit themselves to one form, one way of battle. Everything and anything can be a weapon in this world. You foolishly assumed that I was only a master of the blade, when I am much, much more." He stated, and then charged forward again, faking a left punch before aiming a shot at her stomach. He used his momentum to follow up with a swift kick, knocking her back again, her staff clattering to the ground.

"You impudent…little…worm! Annihilate him!" she yelled, the machine dome coming to life and firing bolts of electricity erratically around Kratos, causing him to move and jump in anticipation of the electric bolts. "I've had enough of you! You want power? I'll show you power! THUNDER BLADE!" Cadell yelled, using much of her remaining power to summon a large bolt of thunder that materialized into a blade above them, then slammed towards the ground. Kratos leapt back to avoid being struck by the electric blade, as well as the following shockwave it emitted. The ground he had been standing at moments before was scorched, blackened by the power of the attack.

"Why? Why won't you die? Why?" Cadell roared. The calm composure she had maintained throughout the battle was gone, replaced with fatigue and anger.

"Because my purpose lies far beyond this place, this battle. Yours, however, ends here today." Kratos replied. Cadell started to retort, but heard a message on her headpiece that she never expected to hear.

"_**Master command issued. All machine forces ordered to stand down and deactivate. Override command is inaccessible. Psybeluas power improvement cores are deactivated and shutting down. Override command is inaccessible.**_"

"What? NO!" she yelled, but could only watch as it unfolded before her. The machine dome began to collapse, its power source gone from it. The whirring electricity that had been surrounding them the entire time faded, and Kratos' sword and shield dropped back to the ground. Kratos caught his sword and reclaimed his shield, and raised his sword to cut down any of the constructs who threatened to hit him as they fell. For Kratos, it meant victory was imminent. For Cadell, her end had come.

'_A master command can only be issued from the base's master control room. I am the only individual with access to those commands. Could the prisoners have escaped and broke in? No, the Executioner would've handled them. But…wait…the rest of the Chosen's group! How did they get past the security? Access the master program? HOW?'_ Cadell thought desperately.

Kratos watched as panic overcame Cadell and raised her eyes to glare at Kratos. "It was the others, wasn't it? The rest of your little band of would-be heroes. You distracted me, and brought me out of my base while they broke in. You would keep my attention here while they undid my work from behind my back." She hissed at him.

"Even the greatest plans of men can go awry…" Kratos said. "Your arrogance and belief of your strength and power clouded your judgment. You failed to look underneath the underneath. That is no one's fault but your own." He held up his sword, ready for the final clash. "And now, it's time to end this."

Cadell's hands shook as she balled them into fists, standing on shaky legs. "End it? This fight, maybe. But end me? End the Desians?" she glared at Kratos. "You will never end us. We will always exist, always fighting to destroy you and your pathetic Chosen. For every one of us you destroy, another lies in its wake." She held up her staff and charged it with electricity, arcs shooting off of it and into the ground around her. "The Age of Half-elves will come, and when it does, scum like you will be destroyed!" she charged towards him, rage evident in her eyes.

Kratos watched as she neared him, and held his sword behind him, ready to strike. He waited for the right opportunity. She came closer and closer, until she was within range to strike with her staff. She raised it and swung for Kratos' head, the searing electricity emanating from the staff filling her sight as she put all that was left of her into the attack. Kratos waited till the last second, then dodged the blow, the staff passing his head as he ran forward and ran her through with his sword. "Gragh…no…" she uttered, her staff dropping from her hands as she felt the blade protruding out of her back.

As she faded, she heard Kratos say the final words she would ever hear: "The Age of Half-Elves will come only when all forces of good, of justice, are gone. And so long as I live, those forces will never fade." And with that, she was gone from the world.

Kratos removed his sword from her and cleaned it off before sheathing it. "Blame your fate." He stated before turning to look for Lloyd and Sheena.

* * *

**With Lloyd and Sheena, same time**

"Lloyd, behind you!" Sheena yelled, dodging another swipe aimed for her midsection. Lloyd reacted and ducked before swinging behind him, his blade meeting flesh as it slashed another Psybelua's arm. Said Psybelua reared back, screeching at the attack as Lloyd moved back to meet with Sheena. So far, the pair had done much work together than Sheena had alone. The number of their opposition had been reduced from six to four; one beheaded by Lloyd's blades, the other from being ran through by the same swordsman. Sheena would work to create an opening for Lloyd to strike, who would work to make sure none of them came too close to hurt him or her. Lloyd was panting, weary but still going strong. Sheena was similar, the pain in her side still present but she was able to ignore it in the adrenaline of the fight.

"How are you holding up, Sheena?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm doing ok…but I can't keep this up for much longer, Lloyd. We need to end this, and soon. I'm running out of steam." She replied.

"We'll make it through, Sheena. We just gotta keep on fighting until the others come through with the plan. Once the base is taken out, it's smooth sailing from there." Lloyd said, giving her a confident smile. "For now though, let's see if we can get another one down and make it three for three." He charged forward and launched a Demon Fang as an opening attack, aiming for a Psybelua that had taken little damage as it had been hanging back for much of the battle. The shockwave hit the beast, but seemed to do little more than agitate it, drawing its attention to Lloyd as he approached. Unlike the others, however, it began to emit a deep intoning sound, making Lloyd stop in his attack and hold back. "What the…" he muttered, watching as it drew its arms around its body, shaking as the sound grew louder.

Seeing the one make the noise, the remaining Exbeluas followed, moving towards it and copying its actions, emitting the same tone. It became so loud that Lloyd could feel the vibrations echoing in his chest, and he took a step back, uncertain as to what was coming. Sheena's eyes narrowed as she watched, and then widened when she felt a massive surge of mana come forth from the assembled monsters. "Lloyd, move! They're going to attack!" she yelled.

Lloyd heard her warning and began moving back to get away. Before he could take very many steps though, the sound stopped momentarily, leaving the field silent, before it was replaced by an even higher pitch, one that stunned Lloyd and Sheena in their tracks. Then, from the assembled Psybeluas, a large wave of dark energy swarmed around them before bursting outwards, like an explosion, blasting Lloyd and Sheena back and away. They landed in a heap onto each other, both groaning before getting up.

"Ow…I feel like I just sat through ten Raine slaps to my head." Lloyd said, holding a hand on his head.

"What the heck was that?" Sheena asked before realizing the position she was in, laying on top of Lloyd in a very close proximity to his face. She blushed and quickly composed herself, but not before Lloyd noticed her.

"Comfortable, were we?" he asked, smirking. Her response was a light tap on the head and a laugh from the both of them. The moment was short-lived, however, as both stood back up to face the Psybeluas again. The monsters were still grouped together, facing off against the pair. Looking down, Lloyd saw where the ground nearby the beasts, where he had stood before, was blackened and rotted. He did not want to think what would've become of him had he remained in that spot. Lloyd held up his blades, noticing he felt weaker than before. "I think that blast did more than knock us back. My swords feel heavier than before, like they've gotten bigger."

"Since they can cast magic, I wouldn't put it past them to be able to weaken us through them. Using the blast as a cover for it would work as well." Sheena said. "We can't let them pull that off again, or else we'll be in real trouble." She pulled out more seal cards and both charged forward towards the Psybeluas. Lloyd swung his blade and it met one of their claws, but this time, he was deflected, and had to raise his other blade to guard from the other arm. He pushed back hard, and Lloyd found that he and the Psybelua were evenly matched now, with him weakened by the spell they had used.

"Dammit…we're in trouble!" he yelled before feinting out, dropping his blade and letting the claw fall through, only to meet air as he rolled out of the way. Lloyd stood up and prepared to use a Hunting Beast attack, before he saw the Psybeluas all seize up again. '_Are they attacking again?'_ Lloyd thought, ready to move if needed. He watched as electricity surged around their heads, all of them stopping in their movement to clutch at their heads in pain, staggering where they stood.

"Lloyd! Look!" Sheena pointed to the forest beyond the Psybeluas. Lloyd followed her direction, and saw, with much relief, Raine, Colette, and Genis emerging from the forest along with the prisoners. They had rounded up any remaining soldiers left from the base and emerged from the forest. "The plan worked!" Sheena cried out in joy.

"Then I think it's time we brought this to an end, don't you, Sheena?" Lloyd said, renewed determination shining in his eyes. Sheena's eyes reflected his determination, and both felt a surge of energy enter them.(**Overlimit mode engaged)** Sheena held her hands up and formed the seals needed to complete a summoning, blue runes forming around her while Lloyd charged forward to the Psybeluas.

"I call upon the maiden of the mist! Come, Undine!" Sheena yelled, completing the summoning and calling forth the Summon Spirit of Water. A bright blue orb issued from Sheena before it shone and formed into Undine, who stood at the ready beside Sheena. "What do you ask of me, milady?", Undine asked.

"Eliminate these monsters. Purge them from this world so that they and the souls within may be purified!" Sheena replied, motioning towards the Psybeluas.

"As you wish, milady." Undine stated before turning to face the Psybeluas. She called upon her power over water and began forming a massive wall of water behind her, churning like a raging waterfall. "Be gone, foul monsters! Be cleansed by the purifying might of water!" she yelled as she launched the collected water at the monstrosities.

At the same time, behind the Psybeluas, Lloyd gathered up his strength and ran towards them, pulling both blades back before yelling, "Beast Sword Rain!" His blades blurred as he struck the Psybeluas with sharp short strikes that pierced their skin before finishing with a surge of energy as he pushed them towards the incoming attack from Undine. The wall of water met with the mass of Psybeluas and crashed over them, the water surging around them and wrapping around them. Enhanced by Undine's power, the water entered where Lloyd had struck, and began eradicating the Psybeluas. They gave one final screech before the water enclosed on them and then exploded outwards, destroying the Psybeluas and leaving no trace of their existence.

Sheena gave a nod and gave thanks to Undine before dismissing her. Undine bowed and vanished, and Sheena walked over to Lloyd, who gave her a smile as he sheathed his blades. Her steps suddenly wavered, and Lloyd rushed forward to catch her. "Hey, you ok?" He asked, keeping Sheena on her feet.

She panted and ran a hand through her hair, brushing aside sweat and dirt to look up at Lloyd. "Yeah, I'm ok. A little tired, but I should be alright. How about you?" she asked.

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'd say I'm alright too. Need some help getting back?" he replied, slightly conscious of how she pressed herself to him.

"If you don't mind," Sheena chuckled a little, "fighting Psybeluas and summoning a summon spirit can be pretty draining." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and they began walking back to Raine and the others. They met up with Kratos as well, and the group reconvened, everyone relieved to see all were still in one piece.

"I take it the plan succeeded?" Kratos asked, looking to Raine. Before she could reply, a loud explosion suddenly sounded from deep within the forest. The group turned to see a large plume of smoke rise up towards the sky. Raine turned back to Kratos, a smirk on her face. "Does that answer your question?" she replied.

"I'm glad to see that everyone's ok. I was so worried!" Colette stated, happy to see her friends all together again. "All of the civilians are safe now too, we got all of them out!"

Everyone began telling tales of what they witnessed on their battlefields, and the scene brought a smile to Lloyd's face. They had succeeded in freeing another region from the grip of the Desians, and all was well again.

"Pact-Maker…Lloyd…" Lloyd heard Origin's voice, though it was faded and distant, making him stop in his tracks.

_'Origin! Where have you been? Did something happen?'_ he said to the master summon spirit.

"Not much time…need to talk…soon…" Origin replied, before fading out. Lloyd tried to reach out to the Summon Spirit, but had no success.

'_Origin! Can you hear me?'_ Only silence greeted him. '_I wonder what's going on with Origin?'_ he thought.

Kratos glanced at Lloyd and saw his expression change from joyful to shock for a moment before thoughtful. Kratos walked over to him, and whispered, "What is it? Do you sense something?"

Lloyd turned to Kratos and replied, "Its Origin. I think something's wrong with him. Come find me later." Kratos nodded in understanding, and the two went back to the group, following them as they guided the freed civilians back to their homes in Luin.

* * *

1.) Modeled after the Perfect Murder machine from the Tower of Salvation. I couldn't find an exact description of the machine, as I didn't have my game to reference at the time. It delayed me a little since I could only remember some of it. Hope I got the description right.

**And with that, the chapter is done…finally…and in time for Thanksgiving! Thank you for your patience for this massively long chapter. What could be going on with Origin? What has he been up to behind the scenes?**

**I'll do my best to update before Christmas, kinda going for a holiday gift update theme, hehe. This was done in time for Thanksgiving, so I'll try to complete the next one before Christmas as my Christmas gift to all my readers! **

**That said, please read and review, and enjoy your holidays! Raenef out!**


	24. Preparation

*camera pans in on Raenef's room/workplace. Various Christmas presents lay scattered about the room as the camera shows Raenef on his bed, playing World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Infinite Freedom walks in and surveys the room before approaching Raenef*

I.F: Um…dude? The next chapter needs to be uploaded for the story…

Raenef: *completely absorbed into his new game*

I.F: Raenef? *pokes said author's head*

Raenef: *still completely absorbed into his game*

I.F…*attempts to remove computer from Raenef's lap very slowly*

Raenef: *notices what I.F's doing and turns head slowly to face him. I.F pauses and gets a full blast of sound as Raenef mimics Deathwing's roar and blasts him away. As I.F. lands, he gets smacked in the face with the next chapter*

* * *

**Cataclysm is awesome….hehehehe. And I did try to finish this before Christmas, but with my b-day, Christmas itself, and coming home, I couldn't manage it, lol. So, the next goal is before New Years! So here you go! By the way, this chapter will be mostly filled with questions being answered, as well as preparation for the next chapter, which takes place at the Tower of Salvation. You might notice something else that's shocking...**

**This chapter has a name! holy crap!**

**On with the show!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

Lloyd looked over the tall cliffs of Hima, watching the clouds go by in the sunset sky. A soft wind blew by, ruffling his clothes as he pondered in his mind all that had happened since the battle for Luin. After escorting the now freed prisoners back to the town, the weary group allowed themselves a breath of relief as they were celebrated as heroes, the mayor of the town declaring them to be their saviors. The next day had been full of celebration, with singing and dancing as families were reunited with long lost members. Lloyd and Sheena shared a dance or two, both having the time of their lives. Kratos dealt with the hordes of women who sought to hear again and again his tale of the battle with hearts in their eyes. It served to make the rest of the group laugh as he kept his sword with him the whole day and night long of the celebration. Raine was even asked to dance, much to her blushing surprise and great teasing from Genis and Colette.

Lloyd broke away from his musings as he heard footsteps come up behind him. He turned to see Kratos step forward, stopping beside him to look out to the world much like Lloyd just had. "Couldn't sleep?" Lloyd asked quietly.

Kratos shook his head. "I hardly ever do anymore, Lloyd. The rest are sound asleep back in the inn." He replied.

Lloyd turned back out towards the sky, letting out a sigh as he thought back to his talk with Origin, or as he found it out to be, his last talk with Origin for some time.

* * *

**Flashback-two weeks ago**

Lloyd and Kratos had left the nighttime celebrations for the woods nearby, seeking privacy for their talk with Origin. Lloyd racked his mind for the possibilities of what Origin had to tell him and Kratos, knowing ultimately that something was wrong, judging by how he had contacted him. Hoping for the best, Lloyd called out to Origin, placing a hand on Kratos' shoulder to include him in the discussion. Lloyd and Kratos had their eyes closed and opened them to find themselves in front of a kneeling Origin, two of his arms supporting him as he appeared before them. They were surrounded by darkness, the forest they had been within only moments before gone without a trace.

"Origin!" Lloyd exclaimed, rushing forward to the chief summon spirit. Kratos was right behind him. "What's happened to you?"

"Are you injured, old friend?" Kratos asked, kneeling to bring himself face to face with Origin.

"Nay, Kratos, I am uninjured. Tired, and nearing exhaustion, but uninjured. It is a good sight to see you again after so long." He replied, giving a weak grin before turning serious. "We have much to discuss, and not long to speak. Even now, my power here wanes."

Lloyd and Kratos nodded, stepping back to allow the summon spirit to stand. "The reason I have been gone so long, pact-maker, is due to several reasons. First and foremost, and perhaps the most troubling news I have for you, is that our pact, our link, is fading away."

Lloyd's eyes widened in surprise. "What? But…how?"

Origin raised one of his hands to display a small orb, its light weak and dull. As Lloyd watched, he could swear he saw it dim just a little, with each passing second. "Time, it seems, has turned against us for once. The existence of our pact from your original timeline has begun to fade, its power vanishing much like this orb before you. It won't be long before it fades completely, and our communication will cease."

"Is there anything that can be done to stop it from fading away?" Lloyd asked, afraid of the thought of losing the guidance of the spirit.

Origin shook his head. "I will try to explain this as best I can, pact maker. When our pact was made, in your original timeline, it was rooted there, and should've remained there. However, due to the event of your transference to this timeline, the connection we share no longer has a root base to feed off of. I've been doing my best to retain its strength through my own power, but I could only make it last so long. Because of this, the connection is fading and our communication as well. Before long, I will be returned back to my sanctuary, where I must wait for the pact to be renewed.

Lloyd's head cocked to the side in confusion. "Separate…timelines? I thought I went back in time was all that happened?" he questioned.

Origin shook his head. "Time is a very unpredictable force, pact-maker. It was made with the intention of moving only forward, for eternity, much like how a river flows downstream. In fact, that very analogy applies here perfectly. When you were thrown back through the stream, you acted as a divider, like how a large rock would split a river in two. In essence, pact maker, the timeline that you existed in ceased to exist the moment you moved backward, resulting in a new timeline created, with you taking the place of the new timeline's Lloyd Irving."

Lloyd did his best to wrap his mind around the concept being explained to him. "So…would that mean that I…killed the me of this timeline?" he asked.

Origin swept his hand to the side in a dismissing motion. "Nay, pact-maker. Though we have not the time to discuss it or explain it, suffice it to say that such an idea is impossible. Time does not allow for the death or removal of others from existence. Instead, consider it more likely that you simply nudged the Lloyd of this timeline out of it and into another one, and he into another, and so on and so on, for eternity. And before you ask," he paused, seeing Lloyd's next question on his lips, "no, you need not worry of causing harm. The other existing Lloyds would be unaware of this event, as well as your own existence."

Kratos decided to step in at this point, before his son's mind exploded from trying to understand the concepts of time. "Origin, have you uncovered anything as to the purpose of _Amatsu-mikaboshi_'s return?" he asked, mind flashing back to the group's talk with Neil when he had come across the blade.

"I have found little, Lord Kratos, as little can be found on that ancient blade. I searched high and low throughout the realm for answers, but came short of anything truly useful." Origin replied. Noting Kratos' disgruntled look, he added, "However, I did uncover some good news. I have found no trace of any corruption from that blade elsewhere in this realm, meaning he is isolated here. It is possible to consider that the blade is not at its full power, having been dormant for so long and without use or a wielder."

"We have met someone who said they've seen the blade here. They also told us that the one who wields it looks to be just like Lloyd. It may be safe to say that the blade has chosen a new wielder, or perhaps, a wielder found the blade itself." Kratos added in.

Origin's brow furrowed in thought. "If what you say is true, then _Amatsu-mikaboshi's_ strength is growing quickly. It feeds off the malice and evil of its wielder, and returns that strength to its wielder two-fold. It would not be impossible to consider that it could take on the form of whomever it wished in order to serve whatever purpose it has. Be on your guard, Lord Kratos."

Kratos nodded, pocketing the information for later pondering. Origin suddenly gave a groan of pain and fell to one knee again. "Origin!" Lloyd exclaimed, rushing to his side.

"I am alright, pact-maker. My time is running short. I still have much to tell you, though my power would limit me so. Please listen closely, and listen well." Lloyd nodded and Origin continued. "The events that will transpire soon, at the Tower of Salvation, will determine the new course for your timeline. I do not know what will happen, but I sense that something of great importance, far more than the Chosen's releasing of the Seal, will occur. You must be on your guard at all times. There are forces at work that even I cannot see. It will be a great test of your strength and will, and you must be ready to meet it."

Lloyd nodded, and Origin gave a small smile. "I know your courage to be great, Lloyd Irving. I still remember how you faced me head-on long ago, even after facing your own father in combat. It is that same courage that will serve you best when the time comes. Even though I may fade away now, I will not forget you. When you find me again, I expect to see that same strong warrior with the pure heart needed to save this world from those who seek to destroy it." Origin's body suddenly faded and became transparent, Lloyd's hand on his arm suddenly falling through. "My time has come, pact-maker. I must go now, while I still retain some of my strength."

Lloyd nodded and stepped back, and next he knew, both he and Kratos had returned to the forest, still dark with the moon hanging high in the sky. "So I guess he's gone…" Lloyd said, looking up toward the moon.

"Gone, perhaps, but not forever. We will see him again, sooner perhaps than you may think. Do not burden yourself with regret, Lloyd." Kratos consoled his son, resting a hand on his shoulder. Lloyd turned to Kratos and smiled, thankful that his father stood by him.

* * *

**End flashback**

"Do you think our plan will work?" Lloyd asked. The two swordsman had decided to discuss a plan of action for when they got to the Tower. Sheena had joined in as well in the development of the plan, offering possible tactics and backup plans should the first set fall apart before coming to fruition. What they had come up with was risky, more than they would like, but the best they could design with what they had to work with. Perhaps even more to their surprise was someone unexpected who came forward, and offered a helping hand they had not considered using.

* * *

**Flashback-one week ago**

"I believe that it can work, but only if we succeed at the right crucial moments. We'll be facing Remiel, Cruxis, and Yggdrasill all at once, in the same location. Remiel we can handle with ease, this I know. But should Mithos come…it will be difficult. He will not be expecting my breakaway from his plan, and in that, we would have to act. Should he attack us, and I do expect he will, I will be the only one capable of facing him should it come to that. You have defeated him before, Lloyd, but in your current state, you would not last very long." Kratos stated as he, Lloyd, and Sheena sat inside Luin's inn. The group had just returned from releasing the fourth Seal, seeking to rest before heading out to Hima as their next destination.

"Still, even with all this planning, I feel uneasy with it. With such odds like this, if one thing goes wrong, everything could fall apart." Sheena said. Her training in Mizuho with planning and preparation for tasks such as assassinations and incoming battles helped her in assisting Lloyd and Kratos, but she knew that she had the backing of the entire village's resources when they made such plans. In this case, she had much less to work with.

Lloyd rubbed his eyes as he sighed. "Even so, it's the best we got, so we have to make do with it."

All three sat in thought before a knock at the door sounded, bringing them out of their thoughts. Lloyd stood up and went to the door, and when he opened it, nearly choked on his spit at who stood before him. "Y-Yuan?" he exclaimed at the sight of the Renegade leader before him.

"It's my understanding that you need help making a plan?" the blue-haired Seraphim asked, stepping inside and closing the door.

"Yeah, but how did you-"Lloyd started to ask, but Yuan raised a hand.

"Let's just say I have my ways, and leave it at that. Besides, do you think it's hard to trace someone whose name has become famous across this region?" Yuan replied. He turned to Kratos, and smirked. "It's just like old times, back at the war, eh Kratos?"

Kratos smirked. "Just like old times, indeed. I take it you know just what we're up against here?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. Moreso than you might, in fact. The approach of the Chosen to the Final Seal is an event of great importance to Cruxis and Yggdrasill. To keep appearances up, he has restrained his number of forces at the tower, not wanting to give away the cover of being a divine servant of Martel. I know that the showoff, Remiel, will be there to greet the Chosen and see her to releasing the final seal. Of course, he'll be quite surprised when she does not become the soulless husk they expect Colette to become." Yuan stated, walking over to a seat and resting in it.

"So what would you propose we do? I'm well aware that you have the Renegades on call to back us up should the need arise." Kratos asked, curious to his comrade's idea.

"Simple. We proceed with allowing the Chosen to release the Seal, as per Cruxis' plan. Once the Seal is released, it won't take but a moment for Remiel to realize just what has occurred, especially with Colette retaining her own self. In that moment, we must take Remiel down, and swiftly, before news reaches Yggdrasill of this development. Once he is dispatched, I and my men evacuate you and the rest of your group back to our base, where we can regroup and move on to the next step in defeating Yggdrasill."

Lloyd chimed in with an obvious thought that was on his mind. "What about Kratos? Once Mithos see's that Kratos has left him, he won't just let it go."

Yuan nodded. "I'm aware of this. The fact that Mithos can still wield the Eternal Sword is a problem as well. That's why timing is so crucial for this to work. We must escape as soon as Remiel is bested, before Mithos understands what has happened. If he figures it out before we can escape, we would likely be forced to face him, and that is a battle I would not expect to win." He turned to Kratos and asked, "What say you, Kratos? What would you do in this situation?"

Kratos closed his eyes and thought for a moment before opening his eyes again, Yuan recognizing the hardened look of the warrior that Kratos was. "All things considered, Yuan, there is no way I am leaving Lloyd behind. Not this time. It was hard enough once for me to have to leave him like I did in the past. Even if Yggdrasill comes, he has a force to reckon with if he thinks he will take me away from my son" he replied.

Yuan smirked. "I didn't expect any less from the God of War of the battlefield."

* * *

**Flashback end**

After that, the group of four had developed the rest of their plan that they had now. All that was left now was to wait and see what was to happen, and hope to Martel that nothing went wrong.

"I believe it will work. It's a sound plan, much stronger since we have Yuan assisting us." Kratos said. He knew that Yuan was a sound strategist, a useful trait to have back during the Kharlan war. Now it was time again for another great battle, and it secretly assured Kratos to have his teammate at his side again.

"What about the others? It's going to be quite a shock for them to witness all this happen. We'll have a lot to explain once the excitement wears down and we regroup." Lloyd said, nervous about his friends' reactions. He knew that not telling them about what was coming would bother them, but if he were to tell them about the plan, it would only open the door to many more questions that Lloyd wasn't ready to confront with them yet.

Kratos watched his son's face and was happy internally that his son would show such care for his friends. He had a strong heart, a quality that helped to make him the de facto leader of the group, since he cared for each member of the group equally. "Everything will work out just fine, Lloyd. You'll see. For now, why don't you go ahead and get some rest? You'll need it for tomorrow." He remarked.

As if on cue, Lloyd yawned and scratched his head. "I guess you're right, Kratos. I'll go on ahead. You make sure to get some rest too." He turned and headed off back to the inn, hands behind his head as he made his way back at a leisurely pace.

Kratos watched him go and looked out to the now starry sky. He smiled as he thought of Anna watching the both of them, and knew she was happy that the two had been reunited. He nodded to himself before turning to follow Lloyd back to the inn, thoughts of tomorrow turned away so he might have peace, if only for so long.

* * *

**Renegade Base-Triet-same time**

The Seraphim leader of the Renegades was pacing in his office, going over in his mind what was to come tomorrow. He had reviewed it over in his head 5 times now, each time looking from a different angle for possible complications, issues, or obstacles that could arise. Yet, to his satisfaction, he could not find any. '_Then why do I feel so restless? We have all of the possible variables solved, any complexity accounted for. I've even used my cover as one of Yggdrasill's Seraphim to help divert any forces away from the tower when Lloyd and his group should arrive. Yet…'_ he trailed off, pausing at his desk.

Yuan kept many things with him at his desk where he worked, mementos and items that had much sentimental value to him. Granted, since he was 4,000 years old, what he considered to have sentimental value would be worth millions of gald to anyone else. One item that Yuan picked up was an ancient blade, crafted during the Kharlan War amongst millions of other blades just like it. It had been Yuan's first blade when he had only been a fledgling fighter, a beginner. He had not even begun his studies into the art of magic when he had experienced his first battle.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Yuan's face as he recalled those years. He was young, with an innocent view of the world. He identified good and evil on two separate sides, rather than the clouded line he sees today. His first exposure with armed combat, beyond the training camps and spars between friends, took place before he had even met Kratos, Mithos, or Martel. His hopes and courage high, he marched proudly to battle. Sword held high, his helm shining in the midday sun, he charged and believed he would be victorious over all he faced.

By the end of the battle, Yuan's victory lay in the fact he was still alive after a massacre.

Their opposition had struck with a surprise assault when they least expected it, cutting their fighting force in half and leaving many stranded on the battlefield with nowhere to run and surrounded by enemies. Yuan had his first fresh exposure to the horrors of war in that instance, and it absolutely terrified him. He fought wildly, his courage now interlaced with terror as he struck out at any foe that came near him. He managed to survive, along with a few other soldiers, when reinforcements had finally arrived to help rescue the remaining forces.

Drawing himself out of his memories, Yuan placed the sword back on his desk. It was the reminder that any plan, simple or well-prepared, could fall apart in an instance. '_Those same feelings from then…I feel their echo now, as we approach the coming conflict. Is it a premonition?'_ He turned away from his desk and resumed pacing.

'_I must not let myself be shaken by the past. Lloyd and Kratos must succeed if we are to stop Mithos. Even if we must take him on, Eternal Sword and all…we must not fail!' _He thought to himself. Yuan ran a hand through his blue locks before he decided to let the matter rest till tomorrow. He walked back to his desk and turned on his intercom. "Botta."

The intercom immediately crackled back. "Yes, sir?"

Yuan smirked. His lieutenant was always ready to serve, at any given time. "Are all of our preparations for tomorrow secured?"

"Yes, sir. Our strike team is ready to provide support to the Chosen One and Lloyd at your command. We've also prepared an emergency portal should the need arise to evacuate at any given time." Botta replied.

"Very good. If everything is prepared, then you are dismissed." Yuan stated, turning off the intercom and deciding to head off to rest himself. He was about to walk out the door when he turned back to look at the broken blade again. Thinking for a moment, he turned back and clicked the intercom back on. "Botta?" he called for him again.

There was a moment's pause before Botta responded. "Yes, Yuan?"

Yuan thought about how to word his feelings properly before saying, in a quieter tone than usual, "Be careful tomorrow, Botta. Something tells me we'll need to be ready for anything, and I do mean anything, come tomorrow. If you're brought into the battle, I give you permission to fight at your full strength. That is all."

Botta was silent before replying, "I understand, Yuan. I will take my leave now." The intercom clicked off, and Yuan left his office for his own personal quarters.

'_Martel be with you, Lloyd…as well as all of us.'_ Yuan thought as his door closed behind him.

* * *

**Unknown location**

Darkness surrounded him. It covered him, protected him, and shrouded him from the world above and below. It obeyed his will, without question, as soon would the rest of all existence. On a throne crafted for kings of ages past, now corrupted by his presence, he waited. His blade, the strongest of all, sat by his side, glowing an eerie haunting red that shone in the darkness around them. They were bound together, the sword and He. No other may wield it, not unless it was by his will. The sword had chosen him, and he had chosen it.

Though his features were hidden by shadow for anyone to see, a wicked grin was splayed across his face. He knew what was coming. He knew who was steadily approaching the Tower, the one he had been waiting for. He has bided his time, oh yes. For almost too long, he has waited. He was growing impatient, but kept himself under control. Soon, very soon, he would have his reward. The plan they had crafted was clever, yes, but they had forgotten about him. Granted, since Palmacosta, he had been relatively quiet. But could anyone blame him if he just wanted to have a little fun with the governor-general? Even he gets bored once in a while, and it felt so good to let his blade dance across their bodies.

At the thought of the bloodshed, his sword gave a resounding pulse, drawing his attention. "Hmm? You crave blood again, my friend?" he asked, his voice a deep tone as he leaned over to look upon his blade. It responded with another pulse and levitated up to his outstretched hand. He drew out the blade in its controlled form, the blade black as the shadows around it. Yet he could see from where he sat that it was as sharp as ever, hungry for combat.

"Yes…I agree. It has been too long. But just a little more, my dear friend. Just a little more patience, and then 'He' will be there." The shadow man stated, soothing the sword beside him. He turned his attention to the shadows that surrounded him. "And once we have him, we will destroy him, and prove our existence!" he yelled, standing up and speaking to the shadows that surrounded him. In response, sounds of monstrous beings could be heard, eyes and fangs gleaming in the glow from his sword.

"Your time is coming, Lloyd Irving. Your life will be mine to claim! MINE AND MINE ALONE!"

* * *

**And…cut!**

**Right, this chapter was shorter than what I'm used to working on, but I figured to just get it done and out of the way to progress to something I've wanted to do for awhile now: The Tower of Salvation! It also helped to answer a few questions some of you may have had, like what was up with Origin, where my mysterious shadow man has gone, etc. If more questions have popped up in your brain while reading, or if you simply have any questions, feel free to P.M me.**

**Though, if your questions apply to my explanation of time, don't expect an accurate or possibly scientifically correct answer. My story, my rules, my control over the fabric and laws of time and space.**

**I will, of course, start work on the next chapter after New Years, so for now, enjoy your holiday and have a happy new year!**

**Read and review!**


	25. Revelations pt 1

*Inside Raenef's workshop, the camera comes across Raenef hunched over at his worktable, sparks flying as he uses a welding tool. Behind him, Infinite Freedom enters and is confused at seeing a writer using a welding tool on paper*

I.F: Aside from defying obvious laws of nature, just what are you doing?

*Raenef stops and sits up, removing his welding helmet to look at I.F*

Raenef: What's it look like? I'm working on the next chapter.

I.F: …with a blowtorch?

Raenef: Do you remember what chapter this is?

I.F: *picks up notes* let's see…Cadell dead….Hima…*realization dawns*…now I remember.

Raenef: Exactly. *goes back to work, sparks flying everywhere as he continues*

* * *

**Whew, boy. I've been waiting to do this chapter for a long time now. I apologize for the wait, but it took a long time to develop this just the right way I wanted it done. This may be a long one, so sit down and get comfortable. On with the show!**

**URGENT! To those who emailed me character designs for my character creation contest, could you please resend them? My email folders have decided to devour them, and I can't locate them. I intend to use them later on, so if you could please resend them, I would be very grateful. Also, to any others who wish to try, feel free to submit a character of your own design for me to possibly put in the story. If I can, I will most certainly include them into it!**

**Oh, and I also want to wish a Happy Birthday to Shin'en of the Chaotic Destiny. I happened to learn of it ahead of time, so Happy B-day!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

Remiel hovered back and forth in place at his station in Welgaia, his patience becoming more and more strained as he awaited the arrival of the Chosen One. All of his work to this point: insuring the safety of the Chosen Bloodline, gifting the Chosen One with angelic abilities, guiding her from seal to seal, all led to this one moment. It was his time to shine in Lord Yggdrasill's eyes, and claim his right to become a Seraphim. The mere prospect of ascending to the next form almost broke through Remiel's calm exterior, clenching his fist as he tuned out the background sounds of the machinery of Welgaia at work. There was no way he could fail!

"Has the Chosen arrived at the Tower's entrance yet?" he asked one of the sentries placed at the monitors that kept watch over the Tower's security.

"Negative sir. The gate has not been opened or received the Chosen's presence." Came the monotone reply.

Remiel resisted the urge to yell in frustration. One noticeable downside to being an angel in Yggdrasill's service was the lack of any interesting personalities or discussions amongst anyone at all. Remiel had maintained his emotions and self due to being a half-elf, a status that granted him mercy from Yggdrasill who spared him of becoming no more than a mere servant. Had he turned to any of the wandering workers in the area, the best conversation he could expect would be how glorious master Yggdrasill was, or that all machines were functioning and at best capacity. It was enough to drive any sane being insane…of course, since these beings had lost all traces of personality and heart; it was safe to assume that they were beyond losing their minds.

Just as he was about to blast something, one of the sentries stood up suddenly. "Sir! We've detected Lord Kratos in the vicinity, with the Chosen One as well. They're approaching the Tower entrance!"

Remiel's anxiety quickly changed into excitement. "Excellent! Inform Lord Yggdrasill! I'm on my way down to meet them." He exclaimed, flying straight for the portal. '_Finally! The time has come for my ascension from mere servant to glorious general!'_ His mind raced as fast as his wings were carrying him, eyes gleaming with madness that if anyone met his gaze, they would fear for not just themselves, but the false angel himself.

* * *

**With Kratos and Colette**

Kratos stepped off from the dragon mount and held up his hand to assist Colette, who took it and stepped down as well. She gave a quick pat to the draconic transport, which nuzzled into the hand. Contrary to popular belief, many dragons are neutral, even friendly to humans depending on their experiences with them. The ones bred at Hima had had little experience with humans before the group had come along, and combined with Colette's kind nature, had taken care to give her a simple ride to the Tower.

"Get back safely! And don't let the other dragons be mean to you!" she said. The dragon gave a quiet hissing sound, probably the closest friendly reply it could give, before it flew away. Colette turned to look at the never ending height of the final milestone of her journey. "So…this is it…" she muttered to herself.

Kratos turned to Colette and thought of what to say. '_If I had a gald for every time I've seen that look on a Chosen's face…then again, it's bad enough that I've lived to see that many Chosen Ones, let alone be the one who had guided them to their end. But not this time. Not ever again!' _Kratos gave a reassuring smile and put a hand on Colette's shoulder. The innocent look she gave him made his heart twinge. "It will all be alright, Colette. No one will harm you here. You have my word on that."

Colette did her best to stifle her nervousness and gave a weak smile in return. True, with Kratos as her protector, she was safe. The mercenary had been amazingly loyal and honorable throughout her long journey. He gave wisdom whenever someone sought it, and seemed to be unafraid of anything that came their way. "Thank you for being so helpful all this time, Kratos. Without you, I don't think we would have made it here. I know Lloyd would say the same, though he wouldn't want to admit it outright."

'_If only she knew…'_ Kratos thought to himself. "You're too kind, Chosen One. For now, come. We have a journey to complete, I believe." He urged her onward, keeping to his role for now. Colette stepped forward towards the chasm that separated the Tower from the earth, and gave a gasp as transparent steps appeared before her, leading to the entrance. She gave a tentative step forward, testing the stability and finding her foot firmly planted. She smiled and let go of the breath she'd been holding. She made her way onwards, keeping to the steps cautiously. Kratos followed behind her, on watch as ever.

The blonde Chosen met the top and final step and came to the oracle stone that sat outside the doorway. She placed her hand upon it and felt the familiar rush of mana from her and into the stone. The doorway opened and was filled with light, and Colette paused to gather herself before she entered. Thoughts of the others came to her suddenly, and she turned to Kratos, who was behind her. "Does something trouble you?" Kratos asked quietly.

"I just…" Colette started to say before memories flashed in her mind of her teachings from the pastors at the church. Explanations of how she would rise to heaven and Martel when she completed the final release of the seal. Would she want her only friends to be here, only to witness her leave them forever? The comfort they would bring, only to be replaced with sorrow…she shook her head, blonde tresses shaking as she moved. "Never mind," she replied, "just a thought was all." She proceeded inside, and Kratos watched her go.

'_Lloyd, I hope you get here soon. If not for my sake, then at least for Colette's.'_ Kratos thought to himself as he went in after her.

Kratos found himself in the all too familiar Tower's foremost room, where every Chosen has come to release the final Seal of the journey of Regeneration. He kept himself from glancing down the eternal pitfall that lay below him. He was not sure what purpose Mithos had in mind when he decided that the coffins of failed Chosen Ones should be on display for all to see, always floating in stasis around them. He found it mortifying, and did his best to ignore it. Colette, however, froze upon entering, and seemed to be afraid to take a step further. "Wh-what is this? Why are they all like this?"

"They are what remain of past Chosen who fell before reaching the end of their journey. Should ever a Chosen fall, it became tradition to bring them here to put them to rest." Kratos replied, walking forward to stand by Colette. "Do not be afraid, Colette. Their fate shall not be shared by you."

Colette did her best to take comfort from these words, but still found herself uneasy. It was mind-boggling to see just how many Chosen had fallen before completing their journey. She dared not even try to begin to think of how they could've failed. She had faced many perils herself, from the seal guardians, the Desians, even that mysterious shadow-man from the Ossa trail. But now she was here, at the Tower of Salvation. She had completed her journey, and would now save the world from its troubles. Colette moved onward, heading toward the platform ahead of her. It was time to bring an end to all this hurt, once and for all!

* * *

**With Lloyd**

Lloyd and Sheena landed their dragon and quickly leapt off, each giving a wave goodbye as it flew back towards Hima. "Ok, we're here. Where are the Professor and Genis?" Lloyd asked, scanning the skies. "They were right behind us, weren't they?"

Sheena joined him and turned to look towards the mountains from where they came. "They were…but I don't see them now. Do you think they went off course?"

"How exactly does one miss the Tower of Salvation?" Lloyd quipped.

"Touché," Sheena laughed, "It would be kind of hard to miss a building that goes into the sky."

Lloyd turned west and glimpsed a small black dot moving erratically in their direction. "I think I see them…but something's off. They're not flying straight like we did." Lloyd said. It moved closer, and Lloyd could see that it was their missing companions. But it looked as if they had lost control of their dragon somehow.

"I think…Sheena, we should move." Lloyd said, moving to his right by a few feet.

"Huh? What makes you say that?" the summoner asked, watching Lloyd and looking back to the black dot, which was now closer and moving faster. She could make out the forms of Raine and Genis now, though Genis and Raine seemed to be having a little trouble. They were yelling about something, and their mount suddenly dove down. "On second thought, move!" she quickly joined Lloyd, who moved back further towards the tree line of the clearing. A few moments later, they watched as their remaining companions came in for a crash landing, kicking up dust as the dragon skidded along the ground before coming to a stop. Genis and Raine were off on opposite sides, both groaning as they got up.

"Sis, why did you do that?" Genis asked as he rubbed his head. He had managed to hold on until they crashed, being thrown off at the last second. "What possessed you to do that while we were flying?"

Raine still had swirl marks for her eyes, mumbling aloud, "Research…I had to know for sure…"

Lloyd and Sheena sweatdropped at the sight before them. After helping everyone to get back on their feet, Lloyd asked the obvious question. Genis sighed before turning to look at Raine. "We were flying just fine, right behind you two, when Raine suddenly started asking me about dragons and how they fly. Next thing I know, she's steering the dragon up, down, left, right, every way possible. I guess the dragon got disoriented and next thing you know, we're crashing here."

Lloyd felt his sweatdrop grow as he turned to the Professor. She had the decency to blush before she looked away in embarrassment. "Well, it's not like I'd have any other chance to study a dragon! They're not exactly common creatures in Iselia!" she tried to justify herself.

Sheena sighed and turned back to Lloyd. "Well, everyone's here. We should probably go on inside." Everyone turned to look at the Tower of Salvation, each with their own thoughts. Genis looked upon the Tower with wonder, the stories and myths that he grew up with echoing in his mind. '_I wonder if there will be a guardian for this seal too...If there is, what would it be? An angel? No, that wouldn't make sense. Maybe some giant demon? Nah, that wouldn't work either. For all I know, there could be nothing there at all, since Kratos and Colette have already gone inside. But either way, this really is the end of our journey.'_

'_Look at how massive this structure is!'_ Raine noted to herself, trying to estimate just how high reaching the Tower of Salvation was. '_It must go on for miles and miles! How was it built, I wonder? What materials could they have used to not only shape the Tower, but keep it steady and unmoving for so long? No other construct exists similar to this! Oooh, if only I could get my hands on some of it, I could write to the Palmacosta Academy and revolutionize the science world!'_ Imaginary hearts floated around Raine as she imagined the prestige and honor associated with such a find.

'_We've managed to make it this far, with no real problems. But I can't seem to shake this foreboding feeling I'm getting from this place.' _Sheena thought to herself. It seemed odd to her that the supposed Tower that was to bring about the world's salvation would make her feel on edge. Then again, knowing what lay inside, Sheena chalked it to her Kunoichi instincts, honed senses that she knew to trust more than any other of her senses. '_The plan we drew together back at Hima is sound, but still…I'll just have to place my trust in Lloyd. He hasn't led me wrong yet, and I don't expect him to.'_ She turned to her friend-well, definitely more than friend friend-to see how he was handling being here again. '_I wonder what is going through Lloyd's mind right now…'_

Lloyd's mind was relatively quiet as he looked upon the Tower of Salvation, though Lloyd found it better to be named the "Tower of Damnation". This one place had caused him more trouble, grief, and danger than anywhere else save Welgaia or Derris-Kharlan. It was tempting to consider stealing Rodyle's Mana Cannon to blast it down, and save him so much trouble. Of course, then he'd have to explain to the world how he justified shooting down an alleged "ladder to heaven". And Colette might have a problem with it too. He cared more for the latter than the former at this point. '_An angry Colette is one force I'd like to never cross…'_ he thought before clearing his throat. "Let's go on in. Kratos and Colette are probably waiting for us inside." Lloyd said before walking up the ghostly steps leading to the Tower's entrance. Sheena followed right behind him, with Genis and Raine in tow.

As Lloyd walked through the entrance, he could hear the voice of Remiel echoing as he was giving his speech to Colette, similar to each one he'd done at each Seal. '_More like his final speech…'_

* * *

**With Kratos and Colette**

"…and so you've made your way here, courageously defeating the trials presented to you and surpassing any challenge that came your way. You've truly outdone yourself, Chosen One." Remiel finished another portion of his long winded speech. He had taken his fair share of time to practice and rehearse for when his big moment arrived. He had been going for ten minutes now, and felt he was going strong. Yes, the wannabe angel was quite the dreamer, wasn't he?

Kratos stood to the side, bored out of his wits. Normally by this time, Remiel had done his part and had the designated Chosen release the seal. This time around, however, he seemed quite focused on emphasizing his part in this. Kratos knew that Remiel desired to become a Seraphim like he and Yuan were, and knew that there was absolutely no way they'd let that happen. He was in no way on level with them in combat, let alone in strategy or cunning. He had reached his peak when he first gained his white angel wings. To go beyond it now would require something along the lines of the Eternal sword's interference.

Remiel paused to look at Kratos, and assumed his blank stare was due to how well he had done his speech. He was about to continue onwards when he noticed newcomers enter the room. He held back a grimace as he recognized it as the group the Chosen had traveled with for her Journey. "It would appear that we have visitors…" he muttered aloud. Colette turned and felt her heart leap at seeing her friends there with her. "Lloyd!" she exclaimed.

"Who are you to interrupt this sacred moment?" Remiel questioned. He had not planned on them being interrupted. Kratos withheld his snort.

Lloyd met Remiel's gaze and replied, "We're here to support our friend. After all, nothing wrong with watching the world be renewed, is there?" '_If I didn't know any better, then I would guess Remiel is bothered by us bring here…oh, wait. I do know better!'_

Remiel felt a shudder creep on him when his eyes met Lloyd's. It was as if he could see just what it was Remiel was planning. Remiel shook it off and went back to his task. "Very well, I will allow it. Chosen One, if you would please?" He gestured below him, to the altar where Colette was supposed to be.

Colette nodded and started to walk forward to the altar, but paused and turned back to the group. "I…" she started to say. Lloyd knew what she was thinking and simply smiled.

"Don't worry, Colette. Everything will be alright, you'll see." Lloyd told her confidently.

Colette took these words and seemed to accept them, giving him a nod and turning back to the altar. '_This is it…it's time to regenerate the world!'_ Colette thought to herself before kneeling and beginning to recite the ancient prayer she'd been taught. It was much longer than the one she would recite normally, as this was her final seal before going up to heaven.

Remiel could barely contain himself as he watched the girl kneel and begin the final release. It was finally time for him to rise as Seraphim, to be one of Lord Yggdrasill's chosen elite! The urge to laugh in triumph came to him, but felt it would rather ruin the moment and his image in front of the peons before him. '_All of my planning, all of my hard work, will finally culminate in this one moment!'_ he thought to himself. He looked down at Colette again and smirked before something nudged him in the back of his mind. Something very important he had forgotten.

'_Wait a minute…she's been able to talk this whole time…when one undergoes the transformation process, speaking is supposed to be impossible. Each seal is designed to remove one aspect of the chosen vessel's consciousness and existence until they reach here, where they sacrifice their final portion. Yet…' _Remiel's eyes narrowed as his senses honed in on Colette's form. _'I detect no changes whatsoever! How can this be? Was she immune to the angel toxicosis effect?'_ Panic slowly entered him as his plan began to fray at the edges with this revelation. '_Something has gone wrong with the plan! I did my part accordingly…but what about the Chosen herself? This would mean…'_

Colette was close to completing her final recitation when Remiel's voice boomed aloud, yelling "Cease this farce at once!" She looked up and paled under Remiel's angry gaze. "F-Father?" she stuttered.

"What is the meaning of this nonsense, Chosen? Why have you altered from your path? You dare to mock heaven itself?" Remiel accused her. His wings flared out, acting upon his emotion.

"F-Father, I don't understand…" Colette began to say before she was cut off again by Remiel.

"Do not call me by that word. I refuse to acknowledge someone who dares to go against the word of Cruxis. Why, Chosen, have you deviated from the path? You've desecrated yourself on your journey. Heaven will no longer accept you!" Remiel declared coldly, making Colette flinch at his words. She got up and stepped back, fearful of Remiel's anger.

"I have not done such a thing! What do you mean?" Colette tried to ask. She was frightened now, fearful of what seems to be some action on her part, though what she did not know.

Raine decided to step in, to help her student and charge. "What do you mean, she's desecrated herself? She's done no wrong here! We've followed the ancient scriptures, word for word. Why would heaven choose to not accept her?" she questioned.

'_Dammit, dammit, dammit! What is going on? These meddlesome fools just had to be here to see this. My cover will be blown if I don't do something!' _Remiel thought to himself desperately. He was about to speak again when Lloyd stepped forward. Remiel saw this and turned to him. "You! It was you who caused this…this…atrocity to happen, didn't you? Speak at once!" He demanded. His eyes were wild and teeth bore in anger.

Lloyd simply shook his head and replied, "I've done nothing to Colette, oh angelic one. Though it looks like your cover's blown, from the sound of it."

Remiel flinched at the accusation. "You dare to accuse me of being false? A messenger of the heavens themselves?" he bellowed. Kratos snorted again, humored at how this fool fancied himself a messenger of heaven.

"Lloyd, what are you talking about? What cover?" Raine asked, confused at her student's words.

"It's simple, Professor." Lloyd replied. He pointed a finger at Remiel, who growled in response. "This man, Remiel, as well as Cruxis and the Journey, is nothing more than a big cover up!" He declared, causing all present to gasp, save Kratos and Sheena.

"You dare to commit heresy, fool? Throwing away your faith for some other dark force?" Remiel questioned. '_What does this boy know? How could he possibly know?'_ he thought.

"It's not heresy if the religion itself is fake, now is it?" Lloyd countered. He began walking around the group, keeping his eyes on Remiel the whole time. He recalled to himself the rehearsed "evidence" he had thought up beforehand. "When you first showed up, claiming to be Colette's father, I wasn't really convinced of it. Then, we went on the journey to release the seals, seeing you at each one as you guided us onto the next one. I was curious though, as to how each time you never called her your daughter, or even by her name. A true father would never hesitate to call his daughter by their name instead of their title." Lloyd paused to get a breath in.

"Then, when we went to the Tower of Mana, we found an extensive library inside, full of books about the Journey and past Chosen. One book in particular caught my eye, a book written allegedly by another Chosen many years ago. This Chosen wrote a detailed description of her journey, and just so happened to mention you as well, as her father too."

Raine's eyes widened slightly at this information. '_A book on the past Chosen and their Journeys? That's an oddly specific book to discover out of that giant library. Better yet, Lloyd actually sat down to read it?' _Raine's mind was boggled at the possibilities. '_I don't know if I should be proud or suspicious.'_

"On top of all of that," Lloyd resumed, "is the evidence floating around us. The endless bodies of all the other Chosen who somehow failed. I'm curious as to why we were never told exactly how or why they failed, other than a shabby excuse of the Desians. It doesn't add up." Lloyd finished finally. Many of the Sylvarant group was stunned at these words. Raine added up what Lloyd had said and saw that with that evidence, there were many open loopholes in the Cruxis story. If all of it held true, then that left people like Remiel much to answer for, let alone the entire church as a whole.

Genis was analyzing Lloyd's words and was finding he was struggling to form a counter-argument for it besides his growing up under that belief. Genis always applied logic to when he was solving a problem under any subject, and this was no exception. '_So Cruxis is a lie? But…then…what have I believed in this whole time?' _He turned to Lloyd and took note of how serious he was. '_Lloyd doesn't seem to have any doubt of this at all. He must really believe this is all true. But then what does he believe in?'_

Colette was feeling as if she'd discovered her midlife-crisis at this very moment. Her belief, her faith, her very reason for existing was brought into question in this moment, and she didn't know what to do. Who does she turn to for answers? Subconsciously, her body walked her back towards the safety of her Professor, feeling in that moment that she wouldn't be safe except in the presence of her closest friends. '_Remiel…lied to me? He's not…my father? Why would he lie to me? I don't…understand…'_

Remiel was near the point of frothing at the mouth at this point. This…this…meddling worm was destroying the careful ruse he had been crafting from the very beginning! All of his work, his planning, his hopes, dashed away in a moment. And all because of this one fool. He would make him pay dearly for it. "You…" Remiel growled out, "…you impudent heathen! You dare to challenge the authority of heaven? Then so be it…" his wings flapped and he lifted himself up before lowering down to the ground where they were. "Prepare to face the wrath of Cruxis itself!" he yelled.

Lloyd drew his swords and smirked. "I've been waiting for this battle for a long time…" he muttered before rushing forward to meet Remiel head on, the rest of the group falling in behind him.

* * *

**With Yuan and Botta-a few minutes earlier**

"All reports show as status green, sir. We're tracking the Chosen as well as Lloyd and maintaining contact." One soldier informed Yuan as he waited in his ready room. Botta stood beside him, overseeing the operation while Yuan observed. So far, everything had gone according to plan, with no foreseeable problems as of yet.

"Good. Have we detected any response from Cruxis yet?" The blue-haired leader asked from his command seat.

"Negative, sir. None of our readings detect anything out of the ordinary."

"Excellent. For now, maintain our watch on Lloyd and the others. Keep me informed of their progress." Yuan leaned back in his seat as he watched on his main screen Lloyd arriving and entering the Tower of Salvation. "Botta, I trust our emergency warp option is still operating?" he turned to his second in command.

"Yes, sir. Our engineers have provided us with the guarantee that we will be safely returned to base should the need to use them occur."

Yuan nodded. All according to plan. He had been careful all this time to insure that Yggdrasill never figured out that he was the leader of the Renegades, and for once, it was paying off. Using his influence as one of the Seraphim, he had taken measures to make sure that he had an eye inside Welgaia and the Tower of Salvation as he needed. It never hurt to cover all of one's bases.

"Sir! It would appear that Lloyd and (1) Sir Kratos have engaged in combat, along with the other members of their group." Another soldier reported suddenly. Yuan stood up and walked forward closer to the screen. Botta turned and ordered for it to be shown on-screen.

The view switched to show the inside of the Tower of Salvation, where Lloyd and the others were. Yuan let a smirk grace his features as he watched the false angel Remiel being pushed back by a Demon Fang and Fireball combo from Lloyd and Genis. The fool had the gall to believe he was strong enough to compare to himself and Kratos, when in all actuality, he could barely lay a hand upon them while they could run circles around him. "How long would you give him, Botta? 5 more minutes? 4?" he asked quietly.

"I wouldn't even give him 3, sir."

A small chuckle came from Yuan at Botta's response. Sharp with a sword and sharper wit. That was one of the reasons he'd chosen Botta in the first place. He continued watching as Kratos finished off Remiel before messaging Yuan using a small device planted on his collar. "Yuan, Remiel is down. We're clear to move onwards with the-"he was cut off suddenly by static, causing Yuan's stomach to suddenly sink. "What happened?" he demanded, walking over to one of the nearby consoles.

"Sir, it would appear that an unknown energy source is blocking off our transmission. I do not know how sir, but it appeared out of nowhere. We had no warning or indication of its presence until it just now cut off communications with Sir Kratos."

"Check for any of the immediate possible sources. Are we still clear for teleporting to the Tower?"

"Yes, sir. No interference has been detected concerning the warp core or any of its systems. I recommend though that you go now sir, before this block spreads to it." Yuan nodded and turned and walked out, followed by Botta. The pair made their way to Yuan's warp pad (2) and ordered for his men to be ready to go. Setting in the coordinates, Yuan and Botta vanished in a flash of light, followed shortly by Yuan's elite guard. They stepped up and the pad began to glow, but then suddenly stopped. "What happened? One asked, approaching the main engineer at the controls.

"I don't know!" he exclaimed. "One minute, the program's working fine, the next, it's telling me that the coordinates I've entered no longer are accessible! Whatever was blocking our video feed back in the main room must be connected to this."

"Get to work on fixing it immediately. Do whatever you have to in order to keep that warp channel open. It must be active if Lord Yuan and Botta are to return safely with Lloyd and the Chosen." The guard ordered before turning to his men. "Seeing as how we've been cut off from Yuan, we should do all we can to keep up our end here. Assist in every way you can, men!"

A chorus of "Yes, sir!" was his reply as everyone went back to work, the safety of their leader on their mind.

* * *

**With Lloyd and the group, same time**

**(Cue Two Steps From Hell-Hypnotica)**

"Treacherous heathens! You will pay for your insolence!" Remiel yelled as he fired off another blast of light energy, aiming to strike down Lloyd and missing as he dodged to his left. He kept firing as Lloyd ran, keeping his attention while the others moved in.

"If I had a gald every time I heard that line…" Lloyd muttered under his breath as he dodged another shot, returning in kind with a Demon Fang, causing Remiel to dash to Lloyd's left. Of course, this put him in the direct path of Sheena and Genis' attacks. He flinched and recoiled as fireballs and a Pyre Seal threw him off balance, having to flap his wings furiously in order to maintain control. He then leapt up as one of Colette's chakrams flew dangerously close to his face, leaving a small graze as he moved.

Colette had her wings out and was giving it her all in this fight. Her eyes burned with tears of sadness and anger in the same instant. Her world had been turned upside down by this one man, and as such, she could not let him get away with it. Her being the Chosen One, her journey, and all the trials they'd been through. All was covered under the shroud of deception woven by the false angel before her. "Angel feathers!" She called out, and flapped her wings once, twice, three times, releasing six magical discs of light that pursued Remiel. He saw them coming and formed a bow of light in his hands, taking aim and shooting down them all.

"Is that the best you can do, you failure? Do you truly believe you can defeat a superior angel like me?" Remiel boasted. He launched another barrage of light at her; making her fly to avoid being impaled by arrows that pierced the ground she'd been standing in moments before. "Grr…you cannot escape!" he yelled, channeling his light magic and casting Photon on Colette. Colette sensed the attack coming before it could happen, however, and quickly used Guardian to defend her. Though she could still feel some of the stinging barbs of light, their harm was significantly reduced. Once the barrier faded, she felt herself being healed by Raine, who followed up with a defensive spell to help protect her charge.

"Psi Tempest!" Lloyd yelled out, launching himself forward and spinning with his blades rapidly. He increased his momentum and picked up speed, becoming a whirling projectile aimed for Remiel. He turned and saw Lloyd coming, ducking to dodge the attack. It was exactly what Lloyd was counting on. "Rising Falcon!" he exclaimed suddenly, coming out of the attack in mid-air and pushing off from his position towards Remiel, blades held straight in front of him. His form gave the attack the appearance of a falcon diving for its kill, approaching with sharp speed, poised to strike.

"I tire of this nonsense…" Remiel uttered before turning and meeting Lloyd's attack head-on with his hands glowing with holy light. He caught the blade and deflected it to the side, though he wasn't able to completely protect himself, his hands issuing blood from Lloyd's blades. Lloyd landed off to the side, kneeling as he looked towards his foe. "It is time to end you five, with one holy blow that only a true angel like me can use!" Remiel declared, calling upon all of his remaining strength to fight back against these invaders. He raised his hand up and towards the never-ending roof of the Tower of Salvation.

"Strange how you count only five of us…you've forgotten the sixth." Lloyd replied, smirking from his kneeling position on the ground.

"Has madness taken you boy?" Remiel laughed aloud. "If it has, you need not fear. The wrath of heaven shall be swift and a quick mercy." The energies he'd been channeling neared completion and Remiel cackled, madness driving him beyond sanity and sense. "Prepare yourselves for Heaven's Judgment!" he cried out, unaware of the figure who rushed at him from behind, having hidden himself for most of the fight.

Remiel felt the hairs on his neck raise and fear struck him like a lightning bolt. All of his instincts told him to immediately stop and move, but he found he could not. The energy was too great for him to handle, and left him without mobility as a long broadsword ran him through his chest, causing him to scream in anguish as his power left him. "There is only one being who can cast true Judgment upon his foes…" he heard Kratos mutter darkly, "…and you are most certainly not that being!" He finished with a twist and wrenched his blade out, before striking him down with a Fierce Demon Fang. Remiel collapsed to the ground, blood seeping out of his chest as he lay defeated.

"Lord Kratos…how…why? You were…" Remiel tried to say before he coughed up blood.

"I was one of Cruxis, Remiel, but no longer. I have broken free of my sin, and choose to carve for myself a new path in this world, a path the likes of which you will never see." Kratos replied before flicking the blood off his blade and sheathing it. Remiel tried to speak again, but life left his eyes and he fell to the ground, unmoving. Kratos clicked a small button on his collar, whispering into it, "Yuan, Remiel is down. We're clear to move on to-"before he was cut off by static. He blinked in surprise before going to Lloyd's side, helping him stand. "Are you hurt?"

"Nah. If anything, just a little winded, but I'll be fine. Did you get the message to Yuan?" Lloyd asked. Kratos hesitated, causing Lloyd's brow to furrow. "Something go wrong?" Kratos was about to reply when Raine and the others regrouped with them.

"Is everyone alright?" Raine questioned, turning to each member of the group and looking for any obvious injuries.

"I think we're all ok. But…what happened back there?" Genis asked, turning to Colette.

Colette shook her head. "I don't know…I recited the prayer just as I was taught back in Iselia. I didn't do anything wrong! Have I…failed as a Chosen?"

Lloyd waved his hand in dismissal. "No way, Colette. You didn't fail. It's like I said before-"

"That will be quite enough of this nonsense." A voice rang out suddenly, causing Lloyd to turn back towards the altar. A small multi-colored light was drifting down towards them, a light that Lloyd was all too familiar with. Lloyd turned to look at Kratos whose expression was stony as he watched. Lloyd turned back and observed as it stopped floating and a flash of light blinded them all as a figure took its place. The light faded to reveal a tall blonde haired man, dressed in white spandex with immensely large wings that shined with every color.

"This farce ends here, once and for all." Yggdrasill stated coldly. '_Now for the hard part…'_ Lloyd thought to himself.

* * *

**With Yuan and Botta-outside the Tower**

Yuan and Botta materialized outside the Tower, both ready to expect a fight. Botta scanned over the immediate area quickly before declaring it clear of any potential threats. "Base, status report." Yuan ordered to his com device on his wrist. He was greeted with a garbled reply, causing him to immediately wonder if he had been discovered. "Repeat, status report." He tried again.

"Sir…we...Message…block…" the reply he was expecting was laced with static, much to his chagrin. He tweaked the controls on the device a little to try and improve reception, and finally seemed to break through. "Lieutenant, what's going on up there?" Yuan demanded.

"We've been dealing with some sort of jamming signal sir. It took place right after you and Botta warped. We've managed to adjust our signal to break through, but don't know how long it will last. We're still working on fixing the signal for the emergency warp, though we should have it up and running soon, sir."

"Understood. Once you get that system back online, maintaining it is our top priority, clear?"

"Crystal, sir." The lieutenant signed off, and Yuan sighed. "I should've known better than to think this would go by smoothly. Botta," the second in command turned to Yuan, "this may get much rougher than we expected. Make sure to be prepared in case we need to escape immediately. I'll go on inside." Yuan turned and walked through the entryway. Botta watched and said a silent prayer for the safety of his leader.

* * *

**With Lloyd and the group**

All was at a standstill as everyone looked upon the newcomer to the room. Lloyd was tensed but careful to make no sudden moves to draw attention. Kratos kept his eyes averted, not wanting to look upon the man who was once his friend and ally. Colette was shaking, torn between what she had been taught to believe, and what was now slowly becoming reality. She didn't know what to believe in more at this point. "Who…who are you?" she asked, her voice quiet.

Yggdrasill gave a small chuckle before replying. "Dearest Colette, I've gone by many names in my lifetime. But I suppose, since you've caused me so much trouble already, I will tell you my real name. I…am Lord Yggdrasill, Leader of Cruxis, and of the Desians!" he exclaimed, shocking most of the group at this revelation. He soaked up their surprise before turning to Kratos and asking, "Tell me, Kratos, what happened here that would cause not only the death of Remiel, but also the failing of the seal's release?"

Raine, Genis, and Colette turned to look at Kratos. "How do you know him, Kratos?" Raine asked, fearing the answer he might give.

Kratos ignored her for the time being and looked to Yggdrasill. "We were following the plan, as we originally designed. I escorted the Chosen One here and Remiel met her, when the rest of her group arrived. They did not interfere, however. They stood by and watched as Colette went about releasing the Seal. However, when she was about to complete the process, Remiel suddenly stopped her. He seemed to be possessed by madness, saying that she had defiled herself and that she could not release the Seal. He then moved to strike her down, when I and her group defended her. We subdued him, resulting in his death.

Yggdrasill's eyes narrowed as he looked upon Colette, the one he had chosen to be Martel's next vessel. He could not detect any foreign or outside source affecting her, but still…he could not risk losing the best potential body for his sister's rebirth. "Hmm…I see. Then we shall just have to take her with us instead, now won't we?" He waved a hand in a beckoning motion at Colette. "Come, girl. We're not through with you yet."

Lloyd dashed in front of her and held his blades out. "Over my dead body, you will." He growled out.

Yggdrasill considered simply blasting this fool out of the way, but seeing his face, he recognized him right away. "Kratos…I take it this is the boy you told me about before?"

Kratos simply nodded in response. "I see…then I suppose I shall spare him. The rest, however, will simply have to go…" he trailed off, looking behind them. "Aah, I see another of my fellow Seraphim have arrived." Yggdrasill grinned. Lloyd and the group turned to see Yuan approaching them from the entrance, looking all the part of a commander as he had hoped to. "What brings you here, Yuan? I did not recall calling upon you."

Yuan shared a look with Kratos before looking to Yggdrasill. "I hadn't planned on coming, but my men informed me of trouble here at the Seal. I decided to lend my hand in aid if the need arose, though it seems you have the situation under control." He replied.

"Indeed I do. I am impressed, however, by your dedication. It's why I chose you, Yuan. Now then, on to the matter at hand…" Yggdrasill turned to look upon Colette, who immediately shrunk back and hid amongst the group. "Now, now, no need to be afraid, Chosen One. I will not harm you in the slightest. It would be quite a problem if you were to be hurt. But I can see that you have no desire to come with me, so I will have to take you by force." He snapped his fingers, an automatic call for his sentries laying in wait up above. "Guards, take her away to the cells!"

Lloyd and the others tensed as they waited for their next fight to come. The seconds passed and Lloyd moved his eyes from spot to spot, looking for his next opponent. When none came, Lloyd relaxed a little, and laughed. "It looks like your guards don't feel like listening today."

Yggdrasill frowned and looked to Kratos, who only had a raised eyebrow as he had no idea what was going on either. "What is the meaning of this? Guards, I order you to come here at once!" he barked out, but received no reply. "How dare they disobey me? Who is responsible for this?" He looked up and let out a gasp. "What?" his question caused the others to glance up and they too were shocked. Where the ever-reaching ceiling of the Tower of Salvation was supposed to be was now a dark cloud that was spreading out over their heads. No light could penetrate it, and as it grew, it seemed as if the whole room was growing dimmer.

(**Cue Two steps from Hell- He who brings the Night)**

"I am afraid that I am responsible for that, oh mighty Yggdrasill. Forgive me, but I'm afraid that at this point, I must step in." a voice issued itself from out of nowhere. Everyone looked around for the source, but could find none. Behind them, the doorway leading outside was suddenly blocked off by the same dark barrier, cutting them off completely. "We're trapped in!" Yuan exclaimed.

"Yes…trapped just like the insignificant rats you are…Ironic, is it not? How the powerful can become so powerless in the dark…" the voice continued, haunting them maliciously.

"Show yourself! I demand to know who is interfering with me!" Yggdrasill bellowed as he looked for whomever it was who was causing this.

"Show myself? You would ask the shadows to reveal themselves, when it is their purpose, their existence, to hide one's self? But if you really wish to know, then by all means, turn around. I'm standing right here!" A shadow loomed over Yggdrasill, who turned to look above him on the platform above everyone present. Lloyd's eyes widened as he recognized the figure. "You again!" he exclaimed.

On the platform stood the very man responsible for the death of Dorr, as well as the same man who confronted them on the Ossa trail. His cloak was gone now, revealing for the entire world to see his face. His clothing was almost a duplicate of Lloyd's, though the colors seemed to have been altered to match his likeness. Where Lloyd's were red and white, the shadow man's clothes was black with red linings. He even had black coattails on his collar, dangling behind him. Even his facial features were a copy of Lloyd's, though one could see the madness in his eyes. "Yes, it is me again, in the flesh and for real this time. Tell me, did you miss me, Lloyd?" he asked with a deranged smile on his face.

"Is this some kind of joke? Who are you to intrude here?" Yggdrasill demanded. This being had entered his Tower without so much as a hint of him knowing, and that disturbed him greatly.

"Who am I? Who am I? Yggy, I'm hurt. Surely you remember me?" the dark Lloyd asked the angel. He adopted a mock hurt expression on his face and wiped away a fake tear. "How insensitive of you to forget me. After all we've been through?"

"I don't know who or what you are, but I do know that you won't be around for much longer to bother me. This is my last warning before I obliterate you." Yggdrasill stated, reaching out to the Eternal Sword and beckoning it to appear before him. In an instant, the sword materialized, resting in the ground of the altar.

Dark Lloyd eyed the sword carefully before laughing. "Ooh, someone's bringing out the big guns, aren't we? I suppose I can take you seriously for a moment, if only for a moment." His humor left him and he became serious. "You see, I'm afraid I need that boy there," he pointed at Lloyd, "And I can't have you whisking him away to do what you will with him. That just won't do. So I'm afraid it's you who has to leave right now." He held up a hand and darkness swirled around it until it formed an orb, which he flicked towards Yggdrasill. Before he could react, it impacted and he vanished, not leaving a trace of his presence save the Eternal Sword. Lloyd and the others were shocked at how he had removed him with so much but a flick of his hand. "Now it's just you…and me…" Dark Lloyd stated with an evil grin on his face again.

* * *

**1. **I chose to have Kratos referenced like this by the Renegade soldiers since he's been recognized as Yuan's equal in rank by Yuan himself, since they're working together now.

**2**. Warp pad…I swore I saw one at one point in the game, and I needed it for their plan to work. Besides, as we've obviously seen in the original game, teleportation is accessible in that world.

**And cut! That's the first half of the Tower of Salvation piece, with the second half being filled with much more fighting as well as the transfer to Tethe'alla. I hope it doesn't take me as long to do it as this one did. It was hard this time around due to I wasn't sure how I wanted it to be spread out. I thought to make it a super long epic chapter, but then realized that it really wouldn't be that good as a long one. So I decided to cut it down and make it two chapters. As I said before, feel free to create your own character for me to try and put in the story in the future, and that anyone who has already emailed me one, please email me again so I may save it and keep a record of it.**

**Read and Review!**


	26. Revelations pt 2

*The camera pans inside a large empty theatre, looking around before locating the author and his companion, Infinite Freedom. A few other companions have joined the fray, including Shin'en of the Chaotic Destiny, Swordude, KittyAurionTobi, Kiomori, and CrestofHealing. Massive piles of popcorn, sodas, and various candy and other snacks lay around the entire theatre.*

Raenef: Everyone been to the bathroom? No one else needs to go before we start?

I.F: We can't go anyway; Shin'en broke the toilet when he went last time.

Shin'en: It's not my fault that my beasts found your toilets to be fun chew toys to play with. Then again, they're not exactly house trained...

Raenef: Bah. We don't need a toilet anyway; you'll be too taken with all the action. Oi, Swordude, Kiomori, stop hogging the popcorn! *camera pans to the two characters rummaging around inside a giant pile of popcorn*

Kimori: *muffled due to popcorn*

Raenef: What did you say?

*Swordude pops out*

Swordude: Kio says the popcorn is still fresh and doesn't want to waste one kernel of it.

Raenef: *sigh* don't blame me if you get a stomachache…Crest, Kitty, are you two good?

Crest: I'm all set…but is this in 3-d? Kitty brought a bunch of 3-d glasses with her, so…

Raenef: I would imagine that if it were in 3-d, all of you would be left drooling from thinking you could touch Kratos…

Kitty:*jumps up in seat* we can touch Kratos? I have first dibs! Me! ME!

Raenef: I'm just gonna start the show now…

* * *

**Welcome to chapter 26 of Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! We've reached the pinnacle of the first arc of the story, the clash between Dark Lloyd and Lloyd and the group at the Tower of Salvation! How will our heroes fare against their new mysterious foe with a vendetta against Lloyd? Well, that's why you're here, to find out!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

_**Last time…**_

_Dark Lloyd eyed the sword carefully before laughing. "Ooh, someone's bringing out the big guns, aren't we? I suppose I can take you seriously for a moment, if only for a moment." His humor left him and he became serious. "You see, I'm afraid I need that boy there," he pointed at Lloyd, "And I can't have you whisking him away to do what you will with him. That just won't do. So I'm afraid it's you who has to leave right now." He held up a hand and darkness swirled around it until it formed an orb, which he flicked towards Yggdrasill. Before he could react, it impacted and he vanished, not leaving a trace of his presence save the Eternal Sword. Lloyd and the others were shocked at how he had removed him with so much but a flick of his hand. "Now it's just you…and me…" Dark Lloyd stated with an evil grin on his face again._

_

* * *

_

Yuan was sweating bullets as he watched the action unfold before him. The plan they had crafted in the beginning had now gone completely awry with the presence of this…dark Lloyd. The fact he had done away with Yggdrasill so easily brought no comfort to Yuan; they could receive the same treatment if they weren't on their guard. "Botta, can you hear me? Botta!" he whispered into his collar mic as he kept his eyes on the newcomer.

No response. Damn. He was on his own in here, and already facing odds he would've backed away from facing. He chose to watch for the moment as Lloyd confronted his dark copy.

"Alright…you've got me here. It's time you gave us some answers, once and for all!" Lloyd exclaimed, stepping forward to meet Dark Lloyd.

"Hmm…A fair final request, I suppose. I can entitle you to some answers before I send you to Niflheim to burn. Ask away." He replied, giving a mock polite bow to Lloyd and the group.

"Just who are you? Why did you come to this world, and why have you done all this? Dorr, the undead monster at Ossa Trail. I know you're no ordinary man, and that that sword you're using is evil. So why do all this?" Lloyd questioned him rapidly.

"So many questions from such a simple human…but then again, you're not a simple person at all, are you, Lloyd Irving?" D.L replied, slowly pacing around the platform as he spoke. "I'll start with why I've done what I did…and oh, how I enjoyed it." He paused in his step and met Lloyd's eyes, a mad gleam visible.

"Dorr was indeed a great military general and a capable leader of Palmacosta. I've no doubt he would've led his people to victory if he hadn't have met a…untimely fate. But I don't believe in unfair odds when a battle is coming. So, I chose to even the standards by eliminating an advantage for Palmacosta."

Lloyd growled at this. "'eliminating an advantage?' You killed an innocent man!" he retorted.

"Innocent? You and I both know he was not innocent. He was a man who commanded others to fight and to kill, to shed blood. And that's what he did on the surface…do you remember his under the table dealings, Lloyd? D.L asked, making Lloyd backtrack.

"He did it because he was looking out for his family! His wife!" Lloyd replied heatedly. He remembered well the anger he had felt the first time he had learned of Dorr's dealings. To know that the leader of the city would so blatantly go against Palmacosta is terrible. But when he learned what his motives were for the sake of his wife, Lloyd understood the struggle that Dorr was dealing with.

"Is that so…I see. He did it for love and therefore, all is forgiven." D.L snorted. "Pathetic. And I suppose that had I told you that Cadell had acted due to her love for her master, Kvar, you would've forgiven her also? But I'm getting beyond the point…you came here for answers, and I'm apparently obligated to provide them." D.L resumed pacing, making his way down to their level.

"Interesting I should bring up Cadell. She was such an amusing person to watch fall. Tell me, summoner," D.L turned to Sheena, who blinked in confusion, "did you enjoy the surprise that Cadell had in store for her prisoners? Transforming them into such beautiful dark creatures like the Psybelua?"

Sheena's eyes narrowed as she thought back to when she infiltrated Cadell's base and witnessed the transformation experiments. "Wait…the Psybeluas were you're doing? You made those monsters?" she exclaimed.

"Made them? No, I couldn't take credit for such a wonderful creation." D.L replied. "I merely nudged her in the right direction, allowed her inquisitive mind to come across an interesting mineral that happened to have adverse effects on an Exbelua, transforming them into a Psybelua." He raised a hand to his chin in thought. "It was a wonderful innovation, don't you think?"

Lloyd's hands balled into fists and he resisted the urge to attack Dark Lloyd straight out. "Why? What did you hope to gain? What was there for you to get from causing so many people pain and conflict?"

"Gain? You ask me what I was to gain from all this?" D.L laughed. "Why, there was nothing for me to gain, my friend. I hold no allegiance to the Desians or to this…Cruxis either. My purpose here is all the simpler." He finally reached the bottom of the stairway and stood before the group. He surveyed them carefully, looking to them each before speaking again.

"The anger coursing through you right now…the urge to fight and to defeat me, a laughable concept…the fear of what I'm capable of…these are my goals, if I am to tell you them. I am here to breed these emotions, to invoke the dark side of life. You all speak of seeking justice and peace, an idea that is completely unattainable in this world. There will always be someone to destroy your peace, your hopes, and your wishes for the good and for joy. That is where I stand: the antagonist to your tale, the opposing wall that blocks your path. And now that I'm unleashed on the world again, there will be none to stop me." He finally finished, a deranged and twisted smile adorning his face.

Kratos stepped forward besides Lloyd, sword drawn at the ready. "If you think we'll allow you to leave this place alive, I suggest you think again." He had faced this foe once before in his lifetime, he reasoned. He can take him once again.

"Don't forget about me as well. I have a stake in this fight just as you do." Yuan walked past Raine and Sheena and approached Lloyd's other side. He threw off his cloak and drew out his dual-blade staff, twirling it once before taking a ready stance.

Lloyd looked to both of the elder fighters and nodded. He drew his own blades out and took his stance as well. The rest of the group followed suit, each drawing off the confidence of the next. D.L watched them prepare and laughed quietly.

**(Music** **Cue: Future World Music- Until Justice Prevails)**

"So you choose to try and fight in vain? Pity. But I should expect no less from you bumbling fools." He reached for his blade and slowly drew it out, letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief as he held it before him. "So, Tsukuyomi…shall we show them how it's done?" his voice became much darker and malicious, eyeing the group with a demented glare. "It's been so long since we've had a good warm-up. Let's see if you meet my standards…" His stance was relaxed and casual, Tsukuyomi on his right side, his grip slack.

Everyone was tensed and ready for combat, the seconds ticking by as if an eternity passed with each moment. Genis' eyes shifted from D.L to Lloyd, back and forth quickly. He couldn't tell who would act first. Another few moments passed in silence before Kratos took the initiative, rushing forward and bringing his blade down in a vertical slash. D.L didn't move until the last second possible before meeting Kratos' strike with Tsukuyomi, holding him in place and showing no strain in the process. Yuan followed up behind Kratos and struck out with his staff, but D.L simply ducked under the swing, letting Kratos fall through and strike where he had just been. He slashed at both Seraphim, causing them to leap backwards to avoid being cleaved in two.

Lloyd decided to move in and opened with a Fierce Demon Fang, the ground cracking as the force wave made its way to D.L. He noticed this and grinned before leaping up to dodge. Lloyd pressed his advantage and leapt up to meet him, clashing a few times with D.L before they met at a standstill.

"So you finally joined in…I'd thought you were too scared to fight me. Let's see what you can do!" he growled before attacking, Tsukuyomi moving to strike at Lloyd's arm. Lloyd deflected the blow and the two soon became lost in a flurry of attacks, neither gaining ground nor losing. Every angle Lloyd came in from, D.L would counter or parry and return it, causing Lloyd to either deflect the deadly blade or dodge it. He could feel his heart racing with every blow, adrenaline pumping through him. At one point, Lloyd caught his blade and managed to push D.L back a few feet, only to see him grinning.

"My turn…Demon's Bite!" he yelled as he slammed his sword into the ground and made a sweeping motion in front of him. Dark energy emerged and swept out in a large arc, aimed at taking Lloyd out. Making a quick decision, Lloyd cast Guardian and felt the darkness sweep around him. Lloyd almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the darkness coalesce around his barrier and seep in under it. He released the barrier and leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding being hit as a beast-like maw appeared from the darkness and snapped out where he had stood moments before.

"This is boring…I thought this was supposed to be the strongest fighters on this world. Is this the best you can do against me?" D.L taunted at Lloyd. Lloyd prepared to attack again when he saw movement behind Dark Lloyd and smirked. "Power Seal Absolute!" Sheena's voice rang out as she slammed a seal into D.L's back, causing him to stumble forward in surprise. Light gathered around him as well, and he grimaced as Raine's Photon spell connected. "Who dares…" he growled out as the holy spell struck him.

"Don't forget about me! Icicle!" Genis exclaimed as he cast his magic to freeze around D.L's feet, holding him in place.

"Angel Feathers!" Colette called out as rings of light launched from her wings, striking the dark swordsman with more holy light. "I got him!" She cheered, only to have her joy cut short as her target yelled at them.

"You trifling worms…I actually felt that one!" He roared as he broke free of Genis' ice before turning to face his new attackers. He targeted Sheena first and rushed her with surprising speed, ramming into her with his fist, knocking the wind out of her before kicking her away. "And as for you pests…" He held up his hand and darkness surrounded it before surging forward to them. Genis ducked and moved away, while Colette flew to avoid being caught. Raine, however, was caught by the magic and found she was bound at her legs and arms. She struggled to break free and Genis ran to help her.

"You dare to use holy magic on me? I'll have your head for that, along with the rest of you meddling fools-" He threatened her before turning to block another assault from Kratos, who had returned to the fight in force when he saw his fellow party members under attack. Kratos had brought down most of his strength in that swing, causing D.L to actually hold his blade in two hands to hold him off.

Yuan suddenly appeared from behind Kratos and aimed his strike at his foe's feet, the massive blade singing as it slashed through the air. D.L looks to see where he's aiming and chooses to leap up; still holding Kratos back before aiming a kick for his chest. It connected and Kratos grunted as he was knocked back, only to be replaced with Lloyd, charging forward with a Sonic Thrust. Still in the air, D.L swung his body around to meet Lloyd's strike, deflecting it as he avoided another attempt from Yuan. Kratos soon rejoined the fray and the four became a blur of blades and motion. Every opening they tried to take, D.L either blocked or parried away, though they could tell he was being pushed by their unrelenting assault.

Kratos decided to take it up a notch and made to swing up, causing Dark Lloyd to move his blade to block him. Kratos smirked before breaking off his attack and suddenly changing tactics, coming from the side as light gathered around his sword. "Light Spear!" He called out as he spun and made contact with D.L's body, being lifted by the technique before stabbing forward with his blade.

"Gragh! You-!" D.L grunted as he felt the attack connect. He swung to retaliate, but found him no longer there, and was rewarded with a Fierce Demon Fang from his side. The force was enough to make him stumble and fall back. He grimaced and blinked when he saw only two of his attackers in front of him. His instincts told him to look up, and he was greeted with the sight of Yuan slamming his staff blade where he stood. "Take this!" he yelled as lighting exploded from the impact, knocking D.L back and into the wall.

Yuan pulled out his staff and back-flipped to put some distance between himself and his opponent. Everyone watched as the evil swordsman struggled to stand for a moment before righting himself. "You can't win, monster! This is where you fall!" Yuan declared, preparing to resume the fight. He paused as he heard the low sound of D.L laughing where he stood. "I fail to see what's so funny, fiend."

The chuckling soon became full blown laughter, as D.L threw his head back and laughed, as if he'd discovered the most hilarious thing. He kept going for a minute before finally calming down. Colette blinked and looked closer using her enhanced sight. "His wounds…they're healing!" she exclaimed.

"What? But how?" Lloyd questioned as he watched. Sure enough, the wounds that had been inflicted by Kratos' Light Spear were fading, as if time was moving backwards. The blood that had been spilled that fell to the ground was slowly moving back to him, and before long, no one could see any sign of the damage they had previously inflicted.

"Surprised? I must admit, you did exceed my expectations for this warm-up we've had. You managed to land a hit on me, and even managed to make me bleed. I suppose I should expect no less from two Seraphim as well as that of the Chosen One. But as impressive as your accomplishment is, it is all for naught." He sheathed his blade and held up both of his hands. Darkness engulfed them and spread along his arms and down his body, giving a dark outline to his entire figure. Everyone tensed as they could feel the power radiating off their foe.

"Now…have a taste of what true power really is!" He roared before he released the gathered energy, a massive wave of darkness forming before exploding outwards in all directions. Lloyd and the group immediately cast Guardian, but the spell moved faster than they could react. Genis, Raine, and Colette were sent flying backwards onto the pathway leading out, landing in a heap together. Sheena held her ground for a second before it overwhelmed her and she was blasted back, ramming into a nearby column and falling to the ground. She tried to regain her bearings, her head swimming and vision blurred.

Both Kratos and Yuan called on their strength from their angelic forms and managed to keep their hold on the ground. Kratos felt little strain on himself as he resisted the blast wave while Yuan balanced himself by holding onto his staff that he had rammed into the ground. Yuan managed to glance up and saw Lloyd straining, his feet skidding on the ground against the blast as he covered his eyes and face. He was scooting closer and closer to the edge, but didn't know it. "Lloyd, watch out!"

Kratos turned to see what Yuan was looking at, and saw that Lloyd was dangerously close to being thrown off. "Lloyd!" He exclaimed before pulling out his wings to dash toward him. He lifted himself up, but found himself pushed back down as another wave slammed into him, causing him to land to hold his ground.

Lloyd himself was doing all he could to hold on and not be knocked back. Thinking quickly, he slammed one of his blades into the ground and held onto it, pausing his backtracking. The energy behind D.L's attack was overwhelming, beyond most of what Lloyd had ever faced before, even back in the original timeline. He heard Yuan and Kratos' yells of warning and saw he was precariously close to the edge, the eternal plunge of the Tower of Salvation greeting his eyes ominously.

Lloyd tightened his grip on his sword only to feel the spell suddenly cease. He blinked and felt the energy disappear, only to see D.L appear before him in the next breath. "What-?" Lloyd got out before a fist slammed into his stomach. He lurched over as he heard Dark Lloyd speak to him quietly.

"Aww, did that knock the wind out of you, Lloyd? I'm sorry. Allow me to help you get some air!" D.L exclaimed before kicking Lloyd off the platform and over the edge, vanishing out of everyone's sight. "I would say enjoy the fall, my old friend, but I daresay you'll find it quite terrifying!" he yelled after him before turning to everyone else. "I hate to fight and run, but I have an important engagement currently falling for all eternity. But don't worry, once I…handle… him, I promise to come back and kill you all before you can say 'Exsphere'. Until then!" He gave a mock bow before suddenly leaping after Lloyd, laughing insanely all the way down.

Kratos had watched as Lloyd held his ground during the blast and breathed a sigh of relief. That breath left him when he witnessed the Dark Lloyd slam into him before kicking him off the platform. He flashbacked to when he had been forced to kill Anna when she had turned and became an Exbelua and his oath to never again let Lloyd be threatened so long as he lived. He had sworn it on Anna's own death, and he was not about to break his promise now. His wings extended to their full reach before he dashed immediately to where the two swordsman had fallen off, ignoring Yuan's protests as he dived after his son and his greatest foe.

Yuan groaned as he watched his best friend and ally jump after his son. "Damn you, Kratos…" he muttered before turning to the young mage nearby. "You there, Genis, is it?" It took him a moment before he realized the blue-haired Seraphim was talking to him. He nodded and stood up as Yuan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small transceiver device that he knew connected him to his home base. "I need you to take this and gather your friends here with you. When you push that, it should take you to safety. When you arrive, tell them you arrived on Yuan's orders, and that they need to be ready for the second signal. Do you understand me?"

"But what about Lloyd and-" he started to say, but Yuan cut him off.

"Do you understand me, I said?" he questioned. Genis nodded furiously. "Good. Do exactly as I say and you'll be safe. This is beyond all of you now. Me and Kratos will save Lloyd and get him out of there. Follow my instructions down to the letter, you got that?" He then rushed off and dived after the rest of the swordsmen, hoping he was not too late.

Genis shook for a moment as he was left alone with an unconscious Raine and Colette and a dizzied Sheena. He was scared, well beyond scared and straight into terrified. His best friend had just vanished and fallen to Martel knows where, with that crazy swordsman after him as well as Kratos and the other unknown fighter. What if they didn't make it back? What if Lloyd was hurt or…he shook his head at the idea. No! Lloyd can't die! He won't! Kratos and that blue-haired guy will save him!

He looked down to the device he'd been given and remembered what he had been told to do. The first thing to do was to get Sheena and make sure she was ok. He found the summoner standing up, though her legs were shaking as she made her way from sitting to standing. "Sheena, are you alright?" Genis asked. He looked for any obvious injuries, but couldn't see any.

"I'm ok. Feels like I got run over by Gnome though." She winced as she felt a sore bruise on the back of her head. "What happened?"

"Well, that guy who looked like Lloyd cast some sort of magic field. He pushed all of us back and knocked out Raine and Colette. Kratos and that blue-haired guy held out, but Lloyd got moved to the edge. He held on, but then that guy came up and knocked him off the edge. He dived after Lloyd and Kratos went after them." He paused to take a breath, but Sheena cut him off when her mind caught up with what he was saying.

"Lloyd fell off? We gotta go after him! We got to help him-"she started to move towards where she saw Lloyd last, but fell to her knees when she felt pain shoot through her. She tried to get back up again, but another twinge of pain came from her back, preventing her from moving. Genis came to her and helped her to stand, acting as a crutch for her.

"I know, Sheena, but Kratos is down there with him, and that blue-haired guy too. He was fighting with us, so he's sure to help get Lloyd too. He gave me this," the mini mage held up the transmitter, "and told me to get all of you out of here. And right now, that's all we can do, unless you're telling me you can fly too." He guided her over to the rest of their group and helped her to sit down.

"But…what if they need our help? What if…" Sheena started to say, but fell quiet when she couldn't form a real reason to remain aside from wanting to help Lloyd. "We can't just leave them here…" she looked down at her hands, realizing her powerlessness in this situation.

"I don't want to either, Sheena. But…I believe in him. Lloyd, that is. And I believe in Kratos. They'll be alright." Genis replied. He tried to sound brave for her, to help her feel better.

Sheena looked to the elven mage and nodded in acceptance. "So what do we do now?"

Genis looked down at the device in his hand. "Well…I guess we see just what this does." He pushed the button in the center and heard a small "Bing!" before a bright light came over their bodies. The next they knew, they were being warped away to lands unknown, leaving no trace of their previous presence.

* * *

**Sylvarant Renegade Base- a few moments later**

Genis and Sheena were blinded for a moment before the lights cleared and they could see again. They found themselves in a small room full of computers and magitetechnology that Genis had never seen before. He shook himself when he realized that the rest of the room's occupants had all turned at their arrival, and many already had their hands at their weapons. Genis held up his hands in a placating gesture before anyone could do anything. "Wait! We're not enemies here! I can explain!" '_Why of all places were we sent to a Desian Base? Was I wrong to trust that blue-haired guy who gave me that device?'_ he thought to himself. Genis looked to Sheena and found she was eyeing the room, her seals in hand. "Sheena, calm down. I can handle this!" Genis whispered to her. Before he could say anymore, another blinding light flashed beside them, causing Genis and Sheena to step back and cover their eyes.

When it cleared, Genis had to blink several times before he realized who he was looking at was really there. "You-you're the guy we fought back in Iselia! And at the Desian base!" he exclaimed as Botta stepped forward.

The man in question turned to Genis and his eyes hardened. "Where are Lloyd and Kratos at? As well as Yuan?" he questioned.

Genis reined in his emotions and focused on what he had been told to do. He quickly deduced that this "Yuan" was the same man who had given him the teleportation device. "I was told to pass along a message from Yuan," Genis states, "That says that we came here on Yuan's orders, and to be ready for the second signal." He recited the message word for word, hoping that this meant protection for his friends.

Botta watched Genis for a moment more before he nodded and turned to the soldiers. "You heard him, men. I want a clear channel and connection to the next teleport signal that Lord Yuan gives. These people are under our protection now, and we're to see to it the rest of their group returns with Lord Yuan as well. Is that understood?" he gave his orders in a firm tone, and soon order was restored to the room as the men resumed operating their stations.

Botta turned to one of the guards stationed at the door for security. "You! Go and retrieve the medical team and have them brought here to check on our unconscious guests for any injuries. Then move them to our guest quarters. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the guard replied before dashing out the door and out of sight. Botta sighed and turned back to Genis. "You don't need to worry. You're safe here, you have my word."

Genis nodded and decided to finally ask a question that had been weighing on his mind the entire time. "Are…are you guys Desians?"

Botta shook his head and replied, "No, we are not. I can't answer all the questions now, but what I can tell you is that we are your allies. For now, I suggest you get some rest. You've just escaped from possibly one of the most dangerous places in the world." He held up a fist. "We'll take it from here. Getting your friends back is now our number one priority."

Genis nodded and felt himself relax slightly. His mind was still buzzing with questions, but they could wait. For now, all he wanted was to know his friends were ok, and to have them back.

* * *

**Tower of Salvation-void space (1)**

Lloyd could feel air rushing past him as he continued to fall. His sense of balance was completely thrown off, considering the fact that he's never really fought in mid-air, let alone fly in it without the help of a Rheaird. He flipped his body around and was greeted with the sight of coffins passing by him left and right, with no end in sight or a ground to expect to meet. '_Then again, I don't think I would want to know if there was a bottom floor…'_ he thought soberly, as he realized if there was one, it would likely bring about the end of Lloyd Irving.

"Does the sight shock you, Lloyd?" the eternal swordsman turned his head to see his dark copy close behind him, and oddly enough, looking at him from an upside down perspective. He seemed to be completely at ease in such a state. "To see so many Chosen Ones and their bodies, failures that were nothing more than building blocks for a twisted madman's dream?" he questioned Lloyd.

"I would think it pretty crazy of you to follow me down here, since we're obviously going to land at some point. Then again, you probably are just that insane." Lloyd retorted back. His only response was laughter from the evil fighter.

"Insane? Oh, Lloyd…if only you knew the depths of my mind. It would make this eternal fall of ours look like a mere step on a staircase. But that's enough chit-chat for now." He drew his sword again and adopted a manic grin. "I've wasted enough time here, and I've got a world to undo. So it's time to say goodbye, Lloyd Irving."

**(Music Cue- Reckoning by Future world Music)**

Lloyd gripped his swords and held them in front of him. He may not be in his element, but he'll be damned before he goes down without trying to fight. "Bring it on! Sonic Thrust!" Lloyd cried, pulling his blade back before thrusting it forward. The energy of the attack pulled him forward and towards his opponent, who simply deflected Lloyd and sent him towards the coffins behind him. Thinking quickly, Lloyd rolled himself to his right, building momentum up before he collided with the coffin. Using the momentum, he pushed off it with his feet and bounced back towards D.L, who raised an eyebrow at his sudden return. He righted himself as Lloyd approached.

"Not bad…you're better than I expected…" D.L grinned before blocking Lloyd's attack, holding off Lloyd's force and keeping him in place in front of him. The two began clashing, the fact that they were falling now forgotten as their fight resumed. Lloyd tried for a vertical slash, but D.L dodged, causing Lloyd to flip as the swing carried through. D.L moved to counterattack by striking at his exposed backside, but Lloyd saw his blade move and reacted, shifting his weight to the left and avoiding the impaling thrust. Coming back up, Lloyd lashed out with a Tiger Blade, the upswing ceasing his flip as his swords met with Dark Lloyd's again. On the downswing, Lloyd knocked him beneath him, putting a little distance between the two. D.L quickly returned, however, as they were still falling and Lloyd had to roll again to avoid having his head impaled on Tsukuyomi.

Coming out of the roll, Lloyd raised a sword on reflex to block another attack and countered with a thrust at D.L's side, causing him to strafe right. Lloyd smirked before yelling, "Sonic Sword Rain!" and unleashing a flurry of sword jabs at his opponent. Caught off balance by Lloyd's counterattack, D.L could only block a few of the strikes while others danced across his body. When Lloyd came in for the final strike, however, he decided that enough was enough and parried the strike, holding the two in another stalemate as they tried to overpower one another.

"You can't keep this up forever!" Lloyd growled as he pushed D.L back from him. The wind made his eyes water, but he never tore them away from his opponent.

D.L said nothing for a moment before replying. "You know…you really are worth the trouble of being killed by my own blade. If you were anyone else, I would've simply thrown a minion of mine on you, or simply twisted someone into going after you. But not for you, Lloyd Irving. You deserve a special death, a death that shall come at the hands of me and me alone!" He suddenly broke off his attack and rushed down below Lloyd, diving at a much faster rate than Lloyd was going. He vanished from sight for a moment, causing Lloyd to wonder just what he had in mind.

His question was answered as D.L's figure suddenly came rushing back up towards him at great speed, a fist pulled back and ready to strike. Lloyd rolled to avoid being hit, and felt the immense air blast him aside as D.L flew by. He crashed into another coffin and finally came to a stop, and felt his whole body struggle to hold its grip on the object. The midair combat, as well as the energy he had expended in this battle, was causing him trouble. He managed to pull himself up as he heard D.L's mocking laughter.

"Sneaky little devil, aren't you? Every time I try to finish you off, you just manage to get away. I find that to be very annoying, Lloyd!" He hovered before him, and Lloyd had to restrain himself from gaping. Dark Lloyd had formed two wings out of shadow, formed into the shape of enlarged bat wings that kept flapping every few seconds, keeping him in place. He had a frown on his face as he looked down on his duplicate. "This has lost its entertainment for me now. It's time for your mockery of my existence to end. Goodbye, Lloyd Irving." He held up Tsukuyomi and Lloyd could feel his power building up, and tried to think of a way out. '_Martel, help me…'_ he thought as he tried to find a way out.

"Lightning Blade!" Lloyd heard a voice ring out, and he looked up to see a vengeful God of War, Kratos himself, appear and swing his blade down at Dark Lloyd. He blocked the attack, but was blasted aside by the shock of lightning that followed after it. Kratos' wings were visible, and he looked every part the Seraphim that Lloyd knew him to be. '_Well, not quite Martel, but I'd say that's pretty close to it!'_ he thought with relief.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" Kratos asked without turning back. He was hovering between Lloyd and his dark copy. He had finally caught up with the pair, and was relieved immensely to see his son mostly unharmed.

"For the most part, yeah. He's tough, Kratos." Lloyd stood up upon the coffin and dusted himself off lightly. "Don't go easy on him if you want to take him on."

Kratos smirked and gave his patented "humph" in reply. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So the fallen father has come to save the doomed son…how poetic. You should be proud of him. He managed to fight me and is still alive. Granted, I'm not fighting at my best, but I felt like giving him a fair try. It was only fair, after all, for the son to take a try at the father's failure." Dark Lloyd fingered his blade slowly as he looked at his new adversary. "I certainly hope you can provide a better challenge." He raised his unoccupied hand in a beckoning motion at Kratos. It was all he got to do before Kratos was upon him, striking fiercely with the wrath that was carried in his name.

Unlike his fight with Lloyd, D.L found that he was forced to block more than dodge. Kratos was a much swifter and experienced fighter, and showed it in battle. He did not give an opening to exploit, something that irritated D.L to no end. He tried moving into the offensive, feinting a parry and slashing at Kratos' chest. His blade met with his shield, holding him in place as Kratos kneed him in the chest, flinging him back and away. He kept up the assault, rushing him with a Sonic Thrust and scoring a graze against his side. D.L replied with a fist, knocking Kratos back and away. The God of War shook it off and the two resumed fighting.

Lloyd was amazed at the skill his father was showing. He was going toe to toe with the evil swordsman, and holding his ground as well. He realized that right now, he was no match for either of the two. Their swords rang and clashed as the two continued to battle, neither giving any ground up. Kratos gave him a vicious vertical slash that D.L strained to hold back, only to be led into a Light Spear Cannon that blasted him back and away. While stunned from the assault, Kratos began channeling mana for a spell, which didn't go unnoticed by D.L.

"Like hell I'm letting you pull that off!" He growled as he dashed at Kratos, intent on running him through. He had almost reached him when he found himself diverted by a spinning blade, courtesy of Yuan. Dodging left, he turned to face his new attacker, whose blade quickly returned to his hands. "And like hell I'm letting you harm him!" Yuan challenged as he dashed forward. D.L met him and lashed out with Tsukuyomi, only to be blocked by Yuan. Forming a ball of lightning in his hand, Yuan shoved it into D.L's stomach, causing him to lurch forward as electric current raced through him. Yuan pressed his advantage and gave him a roundhouse kick, knocking him into a nearby coffin.

Kratos finally completed his casting and pointed two fingers at D.L before yelling, "Thunder Blade!" Above them, a mass of purple mana took the form of a giant blade and raced at D.L. He looked up and formed darkness in his hand before throwing it toward the incoming attack. The darkness swirled into an orb before colliding with the Thunder Blade, causing the two to clash and push against each other for dominance before exploding.

"It took you long enough to get here, Yuan." Kratos remarked to his partner, though inside he was relieved to have Yuan backing him up.

"I would've been quicker, but I had to see to it that the Chosen One as well as the rest of your group was safe. Not to mention that someone decided to show off and jump first before thinking." Yuan replied, smirking.

Their chatter was cut short as Dark Lloyd lashed out with more dark magic, both Yuan and Kratos having to dodge as dark lances pierced the air they had been in moments before. "I have had enough of this charade!" D.L roared out, rage prominent on his face. "You mock me with idle chatter when you should be trembling! I will enjoy spilling your blood, and displaying your dead bodies for the world to see!" He held up Tsukuyomi pointing straight ahead of him, and everyone felt a large pulse of energy issue from the swordsman. Lloyd could feel a wave of maliciousness wash over him, sending him to his knees as he felt it press against him.

**(Music Cue- Dark Side of Power-Immediate Music)**

"Darkness…come forth! Consume, devour, and engulf all who oppose you! **Let the blood of your enemies carry you to your greatest victory!** " D.L's voice rang out, laced with anger and power. "**Awaken, Amatsu-mikaboshi**!" he finished, and darkness overtook everyone's sight. When it finally faded, Lloyd gasped as he witnessed D.L's new weapon, a blade that was nearly as large as he was tall. Its handle was clearly meant for two hands, though he was holding it in just one. The steel of the blade was glowing with a dark red, and seemed to be shaped in the form of a dragon's head. Lloyd recognized the three sharp spikes on the topside from Neil's description, though he seemed to have missed the jagged teeth design on the side that gleamed in the light. In the center of the blade, Lloyd could make out the runes as well, but was caught off-guard when he could see what looked like an eye staring back at him.

'_What is this guy? Wait…isn't that the sword that Kratos told us about before?'_ Lloyd thought quickly. '_This is bad…if that's what I think it is, then we need to get out of here, and fast!'_

Dark Lloyd smiled almost serenely as he felt the new weight of his blade. Both Kratos and Yuan's eyes were wide as they were presented with the same cursed blade they'd fought 4,000 years before. "So it truly is you…I had hoped you would be lost to time forever…" Kratos muttered quietly.

"**Lost to time? Foolish Kratos. Not even the force of time can contain the wrath of an avatar of darkness! Now come, my blade hungers for blood, and yours is just the meal it seeks!**" D.L's voice growled as he suddenly rocketed forward, appearing in front of Kratos and aiming for a horizontal slash. He parried it and tried to counterattack, only to find that he had moved already and was behind him. He ducked, and narrowly missed having his head removed as D.L cleaved through the air where he had been.

Yuan moved in to assist and struck quickly, only to be blocked. The two began trading blows, with Yuan trying attacks from different angles to throw D.L off balance, while D.L would attack with overwhelming power, making Yuan either dodge or parry the deadly sword. Deciding to try another tactic, Yuan switched his grip to the far end of his blade-staff, and began to spin with it, using his momentum to make up for lack of force. D.L parried each attack, but was being pushed back slightly as Yuan's assault was unrelenting. Finally having enough, D.L blocked the next attack and threw a right hook into Yuan's face, knocking him off balance and throwing him back.

Yuan had to shake his head to get his bearings back, the blow making him see stars. '_I can't let him get close like that again…perhaps a ranged approach?'_ he thought as he started spinning his staff with both hands, drawing in mana for his next attack.

Meanwhile, D.L had resumed fighting with Kratos, who now had to give it his all in order to stay even with his opponent. His Seraphim enhanced strength matched with D.L's own, but he was having trouble getting into his guard. Amatsu-mikaboshi's size acted as both attacker and defender, leaving little room open for an attack from Kratos. Seeing an opening, Kratos dodged another slash aimed at his midsection and cried "Sonic Thrust!" as he aimed for the small gap between the blade and D.L's arm. He succeeded, and drew a quick slash that drew blood along D.L's underarm.

D.L grimaced and lashed out with his demonic blade, using one hand as he waited for his other to regenerate the muscles damaged from the attack. "You can't win, Seraphim! Sooner or later, you're going to run out of energy, and when you do, I'm going to finish you off, once and for all!" he exclaimed.

Kratos blocked the attack and moved back, keeping his distance. "Large boasts from one who I've beaten before. Do you really think you can win against us all?" Kratos challenged, circling around D.L. He knew Yuan was close to finishing his spell, and needed only a little more time to complete it.

"Beaten me? No, Kratos, you never beat me. You merely delayed the inevitable: your death, as well as many others at my hands!" D.L swung his blade behind him and channeled mana into it, giving it a dark aura that Kratos knew was a bad sign.

"Eclipse Wave!" D.L roared as he swung the massive sword forward, releasing the stored up mana into a large wave of darkness. Thinking quickly, Kratos dove down to avoid being hit, and watched as the attack continued and devoured the coffins that had been floating behind him. "Now, Yuan!" Kratos yelled.

Yuan nodded and pointed at where D.L was. "Thunder Blade!" he called out and another massive purple sword formed, launching it at the dark swordsman. Remembering the last time he cancelled it out, Yuan followed up by firing several lighting orbs after it, the orbs overtaking the larger spell and aiming for D.L. He saw them coming and batted them away with his dark blade, only to see the larger spell arriving too quickly to counter. Left with little choice, D.L waited for the right moment before blocking the Thunder Blade directly with his own sword. The two clashed and held each other in place. D.L fought back until he realized in the back of his mind he'd left his rear guard open.

"Super Lightning Blade!" Kratos yelled as he rushed the opening he'd been given, thrusting his sword into D.L's exposed backside and blasting him with a combination of wind and lightning. The blast was strong enough to throw him off from guarding the Thunder Blade, causing him to be engulfed in a mass of electricity that blasted him down below the pair. Yuan rejoined Kratos and the two looked down to where they could see D.L had fallen to, stunned momentarily by the combined assault.

"We need to get out of here. We can't beat him in this state." Yuan took his eyes off D.L and turned to Kratos, who was keeping an eye on their opponent.

"Agreed. Do you still have another transport device?" Kratos shifted his gaze from D.L to Lloyd, who had taken to kneeling on the coffin while the battle had played out before him.

"Yes, I do. But we'll need to get higher up for the signal to be received. And I don't think our friend here is going to let us go so easily." The two shared a glance and nodded on the same thought they had reached. Both spread away from each other and began channeling the holy magic of their Seraphim sides, calling upon the one spell that would be their only shot to escape.

**(Music cue- Fury unleashed by Immediate Music)**

Below them, D.L finally shook off the paralysis he had suffered from the combined electrical attack. The massive amount of energy had wiped out his body's nervous system, and had taken a little time to repair. He looked up at the two warriors he had been fighting and laughed. It had been a long time since he had gotten such an enjoyable battle. "Forget killing them…I'm going to mutilate them!" He bellowed aloud, and darkness swirled around him as he launched himself up towards them again, his sword ready to make the killing blow he sought.

"Lloyd! When we complete this spell, I'll grab you and get you out of here. We're leaving!" Kratos yelled to his son, who nodded and looked back down. "He's coming!" Lloyd cried out, and the pair looked down to see a massive wave of darkness ascending towards them, D.L at the head of it, laughing maniacally. His blade was glowing brightly, and Lloyd could feel the rage emanating from the evil being. It was a massive force, as if some large hand was squeezing around Lloyd's very being. It washed over him and he found he could barely move, if at all.

"It ends here, Kratos! It all ends here! Everything and everyone, **starting with you**!" Dark Lloyd bellowed. Amatsu-Mikaboshi seemed to agree with him, the sword giving him more power as he approached.

"Now!" Yuan yelled, and the two's wings extended to their full reach. "Judgment!" they called out, and two large orbs of light formed above them. Lloyd had to shield his eyes from how bright it was before him. He felt a hand grab him and lift him up off the coffin, and Lloyd could only watch as Kratos carried him upwards towards the platform above them. "Dad, what're you-"

"We have to get out of here, Lloyd! He's beyond us both in that form. If we stayed any longer, we'd only be digging our own graves!" Kratos cut him off and increased his speed, his wings flapping as they moved.

D.L had been confused as to what the two Seraphim were up to when they suddenly broke off and grabbed Lloyd to flee, but his curiosity was soon answered as he noticed the two orbs above him. When they began to disperse into beams of light, he couldn't help but sigh to himself. "They always overdo it…" he muttered before his vision was overcome with radiant light. The double Judgment blast tore through the dark wave and shredded it into pieces, causing the darkness to disperse and leaving D.L alone, who could only watch as he was once again blasted down the eternal fall of the Tower by the holy spell.

Above him, Lloyd, Kratos, and Yuan finally reached the platform, and vanished, finally leaving the Tower of Salvation behind.

* * *

**Sylvarant Renegade Base-3 hours after escape**

Everyone was gathered into a small conference room that Yuan had placed near his main office; each healed and patched up from their injuries they had suffered in the Tower. When Lloyd, Kratos, and Yuan had finally returned, they were taken to the infirmary to check for any injuries or wounds. Arriving there, they were greeted by the rest of Lloyd's group, causing a mini uproar when they all ran up to see their returned friends.

Sheena had been the most emotional of all, running to Lloyd and pulling him into the tightest hug he'd ever felt. Lloyd had a small blush, but smiled and returned the hug, whispering soothing words to calm her down. For Sheena, it was an immense relief to see Lloyd return safe and sound. She gave him a strong swat on the arm and told him to be more careful next time, and to not scare her like that before she composed herself. The rest of the group had been relatively calmer, but nonetheless overjoyed to have their group all return from such a dramatic battle.

After greeting everyone and calming down, questions soon arose about all the words that had been said at the Tower, by those of Remiel, Lloyd, Yggdrasill, and Dark Lloyd as well. Yuan chose to have everyone save their questions for later, leading to where they were now.

"I'm certain many of you have questions to ask of me, as well as Kratos here after what you saw at the Tower of Salvation. I will do my best to answer them, but know that for the sake of the security of my base, as well as my fellow men, I won't be obligated to answer everything." He remarked before sitting back in his seat.

Raine opted to go first, and stood before she spoke. "First and foremost, what did this…Yggdrasill, refer to when he called you Seraphim? And furthermore, how does he know both of you?"

Yuan sighed and closed his eyes to think before answering. "Seraphim are what people like me and Kratos are referred to as in the organization of Cruxis. We're both of high ranking, given to us due to our abilities and our strength. There's more to it than that, but for simplicity's sake, that's all I can tell you at the moment. As for how he knows us…" Yuan glanced at Kratos, who nodded for him to continue.

"…we used to work alongside him as his subordinates. I emphasize the words 'used to', as neither Kratos nor I have any desire to continue going down that path. Too much has changed and happened for us to do that. That's all I wish to say of it for now."

Raine nodded and accepted this for now, choosing to mull over them and their implications. Genis chose to speak next, and acted on the habits he learned in school by raising his hand. When Yuan turned his gaze to him, he asked, "I keep hearing the word Cruxis…in fact, Yggdrasill mentioned it too. I was taught that Cruxis was supposed to be a society of heavenly beings, people who guard the world. He said that he was the leader of the Desians and Cruxis. What does that mean?" Genis asked.

Yuan nodded at the question and replied, "First and foremost, remove any idea in your mind of Cruxis being made up of heavenly people. It is nothing more than a ruse that's been set up by Yggdrasill himself. For all intents and purposes, Cruxis and Desians are one and the same, organizations that seek to control the world through whatever means they need. For the Desians, they control the populace through terror and forced will, as you've no doubt seen."

"Cruxis, however, operates on a different scale. They're the commanding voice behind the Desians and their actions. Whenever the Desians make a move, it is likely motivated by an order from Cruxis. The best example of this I can give you is the Desians wish to capture the Chosen One, that is, Colette here." Yuan gestured to Colette before continuing. "Cruxis needs to keep up the ruse of being a holy organization, ones who support the Chosen One on her journey of World Regeneration. To do this, they have the Desians act as the opposing force for the journey, and place agents like Remiel to guide you and reinforce the idea of being on your side, when in fact, they're not."

"But why? What would they gain from putting me in danger like that?" Colette asked. Her role as the Chosen One was being put under question, and as far as she could tell, the role she had thought she played was something else entirely. "Is there something more to the Journey than what we're told?"

Yuan looked to Kratos again who nodded before closing his eyes. "The reason they do this, Colette, has to do with the goal of Cruxis. While they do manipulate the Desians to enforce their will, Cruxis has a secret goal that Yggdrasill himself is overseeing:" Yuan paused as he considered the ramifications of this knowledge, and decided to throw caution to the wind.

"The revival of Martel, by using the body of the Chosen One through sacrificing her heart and mind, along with the body's senses and ties to the physical world."

Colette gasped along with Raine and Genis at the implications. "You mean…the whole Journey was designed to…sacrifice Colette?" Genis questioned finally, after Yuan's words had had a moment to sink in. Yuan only nodded the confirmation before the little half-elf sat back in his seat.

Raine was not as shocked as Genis was, having known already that Colette's destiny would end with her sacrificing herself in order to regenerate the world. But the underlying ideas of what Yuan had said began to sink in, and she thought back to all the coffins floating within the Tower. And with the knowledge now of what was to become of her student, it didn't take long for her to make a dramatic connection. "But that would mean…all those other Chosen One's who came through before…" she whispered quietly to herself.

"Yes," Kratos remarked, drawing attention to him, "they were all Chosen Ones who were sacrificed and failed. Countless numbers who were lost to a darker lost cause. Yggdrasill seeks to revive Martel for his own purposes, but as for me, it's gone on for long enough. I've seen too much hurt to allow it to continue any further."

"But if that's true, then why don't you just confront him and put a stop to it yourself? If both of you took him on, surely you would win?" Genis asked.

Yuan shook his head to the negative. "I'm afraid that isn't possible at this point. Yggdrasill controls something that we can't match up to, a magical force that he once used to separate the world into two separate worlds. Confronting him with that kind of power in his hands would be catastrophic, and would end in failure. We have to try and use a more indirect means of getting to him, else otherwise our efforts are all for nothing."

"Split into two worlds? What are you talking about? There's never been such an event in Sylvarant's recorded history!" Raine questioned. "If such a thing had happened, we would be well aware of it, considering the level of change it would bring, let alone the devastation!"

"A good point to make. But tell me this, Professor: If Yggdrasill had indeed split the world in two, and trust me when I say he has successfully done so, don't you think it would make sense that in that same instance, he would simply eradicate the memory of there ever being one whole world where Sylvarant and another world were together? And should you accept that, you should also be aware that you've already met two people from the other world, right here in this room." Yuan countered her question.

"W-what? Who?" she looked towards the rest of the group, who all looked back at her before Sheena stood up and spoke. "I never told you where my home village was for a reason, Raine. Had I told you at the time where I was really from, I doubt you would've believed me."

"That's true, but…to come forward and say that you're from another world…" Raine closed her eyes and sighed, regaining some of her composure. "What is the name of your world then, Sheena? Assuming that all this is true?"

"It's Tethe'alla, and I can assure you, it's the real deal, alright. I'm living proof of this. I'm capable of summoning rituals and abilities that have been lost to your world, but kept alive in mine. Traditions that died out in your history still exist in ours, on my world." Sheena explained to her. "I've never lied to you this entire journey, Raine, or to any of you. I give you my word this is true."

Raine sat back down and ran a hand through her snow white hair. A whole other world existing alongside Sylvarant…how could that be possible? And yet, some blanks that had been in the history books began to be filled as she put thought towards it. The Kharlan War, thousands of years ago, where the tale of Mithos originated, spoke of two nations fighting against each other. One was identified as Sylvarant, but the other's name had been forgotten. Yet, if what Sheena said was true, the very answer to that mystery was right before her. '_It seems beyond belief…but it fits. It's too much a coincidence to believe that no one would keep a record of the war, that names would even be forgotten. But it's been hidden from us all this time…why? What was to be gained from separating the two nations into two worlds?'_

Yuan could see her mind racing, and began talking again. "I realize this is a lot to take in, but know that all that has been said here is the truth as we know it to be. Over time, you'll come to understand this and much more. But for now, we must turn our attention to another issue. The return of Amatsu-Mikaboshi to the realm of reality." Yuan spared a glance at Lloyd before continuing.

"I'm not entirely sure how or why this blade has returned now, or what its motives are. Judging from what we witnessed in the Tower of Salvation, it is easy to understand that one of its goals is to wreak as much havoc as possible. The nature of the blade is what drives it, and in that, we can understand it." Yuan rose from his seat and began to pace back and forth. "We can also infer that it has a vendetta against you, Lloyd, though for what purpose, I don't know. To take on your own features and to target you like it has means it wants something from you."

Lloyd shrugged in his seat as he looked to Yuan. "I can't say that I would know either. I've never even known about it until Kratos told us the myth behind it at Palmacosta. As much as I would want to know though, I don't want to be anywhere near that thing if it can be helped."

Yuan nodded. "Agreed. It is obvious to me that remaining here would no doubt put you, as well as all the rest of you, in danger. Also, it is my belief that the answer to many of these questions can't be found here, rather elsewhere. Therefore, I'm recommending that you go to Tethe'alla, to find more answers and maybe even a way to combat this new force."

Genis stood up in surprise. "You want us…to go to Tethe'alla? But how?"

"We have ways of getting you there, safe and sound. I wouldn't suggest it if we had another option, but right now; this is the best way I can think of to keep you safe, as well as perhaps find answers that need finding. I have a base in that world as well, so I will keep in contact, as well as provide help when I can. For now, however, I would recommend you all get some rest. You have a long journey ahead of you, and I'm sure you can use it." Yuan stated. When he said this, everyone stood up and made their way for the door to their guest quarters. Lloyd stayed behind, waiting for everyone to leave before speaking again.

"I think you put on a pretty good act there, Yuan. They seemed convinced to me." He remarked as the blue-haired Seraphim walked over to him, joined by Kratos as well.

"Indeed. I had to give them enough knowledge that they would listen to me, but not ask too many questions of it or look into it too far. At least now they have an idea of what they're up against." He nodded towards Kratos. "So what do you make of all this?"

Kratos ran a hand through his hair before answering. "I'm not entirely certain of what to think. To know that that evil blade has returned from its banishment is enough to cause great concern. If he intends to seek us out, I've no doubt he'll do whatever it takes to find us. Going to Tethe'alla is smart, but who knows how long we'll have before he comes after us again once he recovers?"

Yuan shook his head. "There's too little we know right now to be sure. One thing I do know, however, is that we will find more in Tethe'alla than anywhere else. In the meantime, if there's anything else I can do, Lloyd…" he turned to the Eternal swordsman.

Lloyd shook his head and replied, "You've already done more than enough, Yuan. You saved all our lives back at the Tower, and are helping us to solve this puzzle. We'll do our best to stay in touch once we cross over, and try not to cause you any headaches." He stretched and felt a couple of his bones pop. "For now, though, I know there's a bed with my name on it, and I intend to claim it. Take care, guys." He walked off, leaving the two Seraphim to themselves to watch him go.

"He's grown up a lot, hasn't he?" Yuan asked Kratos quietly, not looking to see his reaction.

"More than I would expect, but then again, this is my son we're talking about. There's no doubt he would be destined for great things." Kratos replied, feeling his pride swell for his son. "Now we just have to see it all the way through to the end this time."

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**Referring to the space underneath the platform when you enter the Tower of Salvation. It really is just an eternal pitfall.**

**Double the Judgment, double the fun, no? This was the largest fight scene I've done for some time, and believe me when I say I put a lot of work into acting it out and trying to make it as vivid and realistic as possible. I even flipped myself upside down sometimes to simulate falling down like Lloyd did, though the blood rushing to my head made it not so easy, hehe. You've finally gotten to see Dark Lloyd fight in action, and see the amazing Kratos and Yuan fight together with the group, and now you know just where to expect the story to be directed to now. Of course, don't expect to see the same Tethe'alla that you had in the game. It's going to be very, very different. *wicked grin***

**I can't believe I've finally made it this far into the story. I never expected it to grow this far, but now that it has, I can't stop myself from continuing to work on it. I do know for certain, though, there won't be a yearlong interlude between updates, that's for sure, hehe.**

**So what happens now? Well, I'm finishing up my college work for this semester, having only a couple months left before this year ends. Having gotten this far in the story, it's safe to say that I need some time to think about what I'm going to change for the next story arc, Tethe'alla. I've gotten some ideas, but they're gonna take time to think about and form into a plot. Therefore, this chapter will be the last I'll do for some time before I update again, once school's out of the way and I have more free time on my hands.**

**I'm so thankful for all the reviews and favorites that this story has gotten. It's in writing this story that I keep my inspiration to become a novelist in the future, reading feedback and adjusting my writing style. So I owe a big thanks to all of you for sticking with the story so long, and I promise to keep up the work so as to not disappoint.**

**Read and Review!**


	27. Chapter 27

*Camera pans over to Raenef currently asleep at his computer. A completed chapter lays displayed on the screen, though an ever-growing list of Z's appear as his forehead is stuck to the keyboard.*

Raenef: *mumbles*…no…keep away from my food…my food…

*Infinite Freedom enters and notices his friend unconscious at his work station. He ponders for a moment before deciding to wake him.*

I.F: Now what would be the most efficient way to wake him? Hmm… *pulls out phone and searches for various sound bites until finding one he feels is the most appropriate to work. He turns the volume up to max and places the phone right next to Raenef's ear. Suddenly, an unholy noise pours out from the phone…a sound only known as Rebecca Black's "Friday" song*

Raenef: *suddenly jumps up and smashes phone to pieces.* that was entirely unnecessary and uncalled for, not to mention terrible. And that's just the song! *I.F simply points to the computer and raises an eyebrow* Oh, alright, alright… *Uploads the next chapter*

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**Here's the long awaited chapter 27, and beginning chapter of the 2****nd**** arc of Tales of Symphonia: Second Chance! I've been thinking long and hard on just what will entail in this section of the story. And boy oh boy, are we gonna be in for a ride, hehe. Enjoy!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

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The night's uninterrupted rest was a welcome gift to the group. All of them were confined to one room, though each of them had their own beds in which to sleep. Lloyd had entered after his final parting words with Yuan and Kratos to find everyone asleep. He smiled and had quickly taken off his swords and red tunic and armor, leaving himself in only a white sleeveless shirt. He crawled under the sheets and was soon asleep, though not before he noticed another person enter his bed. Lloyd opened his eyes to see a full head of black wild hair and soft brown eyes looking back at him.

"Sheena?" He whispered quietly. "What is it?"

The assassin turned summoner struggled with her words for a moment as she felt heat rush to her face. "I…I was really worried when you were thrown off that platform, Lloyd. You scared me half to death."

Lloyd moved his arm to wrap around her waist and pulled her closer to him, causing her to rest her head against his chest. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Sheena. But it's all ok now. I'm safe, as are the rest of us. You don't need to worry anymore."

She nodded and smiled as she savored the intimate embrace. She knew her face was red as a tomato by this point. She wasn't used to such close interactions with a guy, let alone one she knew she cared for more than she would admit. "Is it ok if I sleep here tonight? With you?" she asked. Her heart was racing at the very idea of being in the same bed as him.

Lloyd's face tinged a slight pink but he nodded. "Sure, that's fine by me. Sweet dreams, Sheena…" He whispered before snuggling into the pillow and falling back asleep, his arm still wrapped around her waist.

Sheena moved closer to him and soon found she was asleep as well, comforted and protected in Lloyd's embrace. She could smell Lloyd's scent and found it to be something she could definitely grow used to.

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**The next morning**

Kratos wandered through the halls as he made his way to the barracks where the rest of the group was still sleeping. He and Yuan had discussed more of what all had happened and what it could mean, as well as what to do upon arriving in Tethe'alla. Both had come to agree that seeking out the King of Tethe'alla would be the best idea, as he would have influence over much of the world as well as the knowledge they sought.

'_Of course, there is the matter of actually speaking to him; fortunately, Yuan's acquired enough clout with the royal family to allow us to speak to him directly. Not to mention the Chosen One of Tethe'alla would be willing and able to help…if he isn't occupied with his harem of followers…' _the Seraphim pondered before sighing and entering the barracks.

Moving past the sliding door, he surveyed the room to see all of them were still in bed, his presence having not awoken them yet. Raine and Colette were both sleeping peacefully, the covers hiding their bodies leaving only their heads visible. Raine's face carried an indifferent look on it while Colette seemed to be smiling. Perhaps it was another of those dreams about dogs again?

Genis was lying haphazardly in his bed, being entangled within his sheets and snoring lightly. His hair was ruffled and his kendama lay at his bedside, leaving him as a picture of the child who lived back in Iselia and knew little more beyond its walls.

Kratos allowed himself a small smile before turning to see his son and…and…Kratos arched an eyebrow. His son was in the same bed as Sheena was. Both were sleeping peacefully and quietly, contrary to how Lloyd used to sleep soundly and with as much noise as possible. '_Wait a minute…no sudden judgments, Kratos Aurion. This is Lloyd we're talking about. Your 17 year old son who likely has no idea of anything of an adult nature. He wouldn't do anything that would harm or hurt Sheena. Still…if the others were to catch him like this…' _He leaned forward and nudged Lloyd with his sheath very lightly.

The twin Swordsman shifted and awoke slowly, but swiftly came to when he realized who it was standing in front of him. He moved to speak, but was hushed by Kratos raising his hand.

"I take it you…slept soundly last night, Lloyd?" Kratos questioned with humor visible in his eyes.

Lloyd blushed and knew he was caught. His blush intensified when Sheena chose that moment to cuddle closer to him. "I…W-we didn't do anything. S-she just…" he stuttered. '_I know we've missed out on plenty of father-son moments in the past, but this is just a bit too much for one of the first ones!'_

"I know, Lloyd. I know you better than you think. Mind you, we'll need to have a chat soon enough, father to son, about this. Enjoy it while you can still. But I would take heed to how the rest of our friends may react should they discover you and Sheena sharing the same bed, and so close together no less." Kratos said.

Lloyd caught Kratos' underlying meaning and nodded. Kratos smiled and whispered, "I'll be back in 10 minutes to wake the rest of them up. You two should join me for breakfast before then." He walked off and when he was gone, Lloyd turned to Sheena and shook her gently to wake her.

"Sheena, wake up. It's morning." The summoner stirred and opened one eye barely before yawning and rubbing her eyes. Lloyd had to suppress a blush at how cute Sheena appeared in such a manner. Her hair was ruffled slightly, and, much to Lloyd's embarrassment, she had somehow discarded her outer robe, leaving her only with her inner robe that had opened and revealed her chest wrappings. Lloyd did his best to not stare and kept his gaze at eye level.

"Mm…Lloyd? Why are you in my bed?" Sheena asked, her mind starting to come to.

"I'm not in your bed, Sheena, you're in mine. You wanted to sleep next to me last night, remember?" Lloyd replied, causing Sheena to wake up more as she recalled where she was. When she comprehended just who was next to her in bed, she gave a start and almost yelped when she realized how much of her skin was showing. She quickly pulled at the sheets to cover herself, heavily blushing all the while.

"O-oh yeah…I forgot, hehe. Sorry."

Lloyd shook his head and smiled at her. "Nothing to worry about. I'm going to go get breakfast. You want to join me?" He offered, and smiled more as he heard her stomach grumble in the quiet of the room.

Sheena sweatdropped at how her stomach had given her thoughts away, but knew that she needed a shower first, if not to clean herself up, then to calm herself down from spending the night in the same bed with Lloyd! "I think I'm going to grab a shower first and wake up. But I'll meet you down there when I get finished." The summoner answered.

Lloyd nodded and turned to put back on his tunic and gear, allowing Sheena a quiet moment to soak up the view of Lloyd's backside. She held back the urge to stare and waited till he had left with a wave to her to pick up her clothes and head out to the showers. She soon located them and, once she was certain no one would try to enter or disturb her privacy, removed the rest of her clothes and welcomed the refreshing feel of hot water on her head and body.

As she cleaned herself up, her thoughts drifted to what was soon to come in the following day. She would be returning to her home world, Tethe'alla, and possibly to her home village of Mizuho. She would be happy and content to return to her friends and fellow shinobi. Who knows? She might even show Lloyd the way to Mizuho, if he wanted to see it. She could already imagine the big smile on his face as he got to see the rare sights of the hidden village.

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**With Lloyd and Kratos**

Lloyd had entered one of the dining halls that the Renegade soldiers used for their own relaxation and enjoyment and found a buffet of foods already available to eat. He considered just leaping into the food and devouring all in sight, but remembered that Kratos, Sheena, and the rest of the group would be joining them soon enough. With that in mind, he sat himself down and began taking various portions of food to dine on. He was about to start on the pile of pancakes when Kratos walked in and sat across from him, giving his son a simple nod before taking a few portions for himself.

Lloyd watched him and took a bite before asking his father turned fellow swordsman, "Hey, Kratos? Why is it that you eat food when you can't taste it?"

Kratos looked up at his son and answered, "I can taste it, Lloyd. I just don't show the fervor or the urge to devour all in sight like you do."

Lloyd sweatdropped before speaking again, pursuing the topic to avoid eating in silence. "I thought that having a Cruxis Crystal took away all your senses like with Colette and her Angel Toxicosis?"

"Far from it, Lloyd. The difference between my Cruxis Crystal and Colette's is that mine was developed for enhancing my abilities and preventing me from aging. It was necessary in order to maintain my strength and my abilities as a swordsman when I was at my peak. Colette's on the other hand was made for the purpose of weakening her by removing her physical senses one by one. It would render her less of a human being and more as a simple shell."

Lloyd nodded before a thought crossed his mind. "So…when it was Raine's turn to cook and you always had your plate clean…"

Kratos took a sip of his coffee before replying. "I considered it a test of my fortitude and will to eat it all, as well as to not hurt the good Professor's feelings. It wouldn't do well to discourage her."

"Discourage her as in being kicked in the face?"

"Precisely."

Lloyd snorted and dug into his plate, enjoying the comfortable silence that followed for a few minutes. However, it wasn't long before it was Kratos' turn to get his own enjoyment. "So…" Lloyd heard him speak and looked up, cheeks full of a combination of bacon, eggs, and a biscuit. "You and Sheena, hmm?" Kratos asked simply, a small smirk visible on his face. "I can't say I disapprove of it."

Lloyd almost choked as he tried to answer, having forgotten the giant amount of food he'd been trying to devour. He coughed and had to chug a little water before answering. "I-I…we haven't…I mean…" he stuttered, trying to figure out how to respond.

"Oh no, by all means, tell me. Take as much time as you need. I'm sure I'll want to hear it." Kratos soaked up the moment, savoring the embarrassed expression his son was now showing. He was certain that Anna was laughing up in heaven at that very moment.

Lloyd took a moment to figure out how to explain his self and the attraction he felt towards Sheena. He took a deep breath and sighed before he talked. "Before, in the past…I felt that Sheena was one of the most important people in my life. When we were at Heimdall, about to go after you in the forest, I made a promise to her that I would take her with me on my travels to seek out the rest of the world's exspheres. When I made that promise, I felt it was more than just saying we would travel together. I wanted to learn more about her and who she was. But then the whole time-travel thing happened, and I feared I wouldn't get to see her again."

Kratos was silent as he listened, the breakfast forgotten as he let his son tell his tale.

"When she saved Genis back at the Fire Temple, I was ecstatic to learn she would be joining us on the Journey. It was like…finding a piece of myself I'd thought I had lost. That's really the best way I can describe it. If I can have another chance to have her with me, then I'll take it." Lloyd finished, smiling to himself.

Kratos nodded and said, "In that case, Lloyd, let me say I'm proud of you for finding someone who you care for. If you persevere, and never give up, you'll find possibly the greatest treasure in your life that will ever exist." He went back to his meal as did Lloyd, the two soaking up the father-son moment. Of course, Kratos would have the last word this time. "And it has nothing to do with how good a kisser she is?"

"I have nothing to say to you about that." Lloyd blushed fiercely and turned away, refusing to look at Kratos. Kratos, in turn, let out a quiet laugh at his son's reaction.

"So if I was to say I caught you two a few nights ago at the campfire…?" Kratos teased.

Lloyd was quiet a moment as he turned a bagel in his hand underneath the table. "Then I would say…surprise attack!" he exclaimed before launching said bagel at Kratos, who simply shifted his head at the last moment to let the bagel sail past. "Your attack was very predictable, Lloyd. Honestly, you need to be faster than that to-" he was interrupted by a donut lodging itself in his mouth.

"Yes! Score one point to the twin swordsman!" Lloyd exclaimed, though he soon regretted his words as Kratos spat out the donut and held up a banana, an evil glint in his eyes. "Oh, yeah? Bring it on, Kratos!" Lloyd challenged.

The pair soon began a mini-war of various food items, though both took care to avoid anything potentially being a tomato, which was the scene that Sheena walked in to see. She sweatdropped heavily as she cleared her throat and got their attention. Both Kratos and Lloyd turned to face her, with Lloyd wielding a roll as his next artillery while Kratos was going to fend him off with a combo of toast and a butter knife.

"I take it we're enjoying ourselves?" She asked, to which both nodded before setting down their food and pretending like neither had been caught acting like they were only 7 years old. She plopped down in her seat next to Lloyd and engaged in light conversation with them as they awaited the rest of the group. Soon enough, they all ambled in and were enjoying themselves, each getting their fill by the time Yuan had arrived. He chose to ignore asking about why various food items had managed to get across the room, as he would likely see it later on the security footage.

"I hope everyone got themselves a good night's rest? No problems?" Receiving all positives, he continued. "Good. I wanted to find you to let you know that we've determined how we're going to get you to Tethe'alla, as well as what the best course of action would be upon arriving."

"I was curious as to how exactly we're supposed to travel to a world we only learned existed last night. How are we going to do it?" Raine questioned. Last night, she had put much thought towards all that she had been told, and while finding no real holes in the story, she still kept herself distanced from totally accepting it. Only until she saw it for herself would she really believe it.

Yuan turned to face her and replied, "We have the technology here to breach a hole in the dimensional wall separating Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. All we have to do is open it and get you through. You'll have to fly through it, however, as we've yet to be able to safely open a portal at ground level."

Raine stood up at this. "Wait a minute. Breach a hole in a dimensional wall? That goes against Greene's law (**1**)! It specifically states that breaching any hole in the fabric of space or time would result in a collapse of the current dimension and being overtaken by the one being breached into!"

Yuan shook his head. "Greene's law applies to the understanding that the current dimension is existent due to relying on its own devices for support, and that any breach wipes out those means of support. However, we've discovered that there's a loophole within it. You see…"

The rest of the group watched as the Professor and the leader of the Renegades openly debated with terms and definitions that went over most of their heads. Genis tried his best to follow, but knew that only his sister would really be able to explain it all. He turned to Lloyd to see if he was trying to follow, and discovered that he had gone back to nibbling on his food while switching his view back and forth between Yuan and Raine.

"How can you even follow this, Lloyd? There's no way you know anything about physics, let alone alternate dimensions." The swordsman took his eyes off of the pair and answered the midget mage.

"Who said anything about following it? I'm more focused on watching the Professor try to outdo the leader of the Renegades…and losing, at that."

Eventually, Raine gave in and admitted that Yuan could be right, but refused to accept anything until she saw it with her own eyes. With one more victory in his pocket, Yuan returned his focus to the matter at hand. "Now that that's out of the way…" he glanced at the Professor, who took care to not look in his general direction, making him smile. "…we'll be flying you over to Tethe'alla through the portal, after which you'll make your way to Meltokio, one of the chief cities of Tethe'alla, home of the current King. Once there, you'll seek an audience with him, and explain to him the current situation. If he asks who you serve or who sent you to meet him, inform him that it was me who sent you. He'll understand and should be willing to listen."

Genis put down his food and asked, "How are we going to fly there? Do you have some sort of a plane or something?"

"You'll be taking a recent invention of ours, the Rheaird. It's a small, one person vehicle capable of flight and at high speeds if needed. There will be one for each of you. We'll instruct you on how to operate them when you're prepared to leave. Are there any questions?" Yuan finished speaking.

Sheena then spoke, voicing a concern that had occurred to her while she was eating. "This plan is good and all, but what if something happens to divert us from it? How can we get in contact with you should we learn anything or should something happen?" Information was a key part of Sheena's lifestyle and profession as an assassin and Kunoichi. Every piece of it has the potential to act as a future weapon or defense, whatever the case may be.

"I've thought ahead for that. Should the need arise that you should seek me out, Kratos will be carrying a prototype transmitter that will allow him direct contact with me at all times. However, should you be away from him, the Rheairds are equipped to relay a message to the base if you need to send a message." Sheena seemed satisfied with this and nodded.

"Well then, I think that covers everything that needs detailing right now. Finish your meals and gather your things, as you'll need to depart soon." With this, Yuan turned and departed the room, but not before sending for a cleanup crew to come in once the group left. Martel forbid that the rest of his soldiers decide to have a food fight as well.

* * *

**One hour later**

After everyone had finished eating and gathered their equipment for their next journey, they followed one of the Renegades sent to escort them down to the hangar bay, where Yuan and Botta were waiting. Beside them were several Rheairds, levitating in place and awaiting a passenger. "I'm glad to see that everyone is prepared and ready to go. Botta will go over how to use and control your Rheaird properly, as well as any other questions you might have." Yuan stated, motioning to Botta for him to step forward.

Genis stepped up to one he liked, a light blue colored Rheaird, when Raine suddenly dashed forward with lights in her eyes. "Incredible! An actually flying technological device! How is it powered? How does it fly? I must know!" she exclaimed, moving all around the Rheaird as she observed it from several different perspectives. Botta sweatdropped and resumed his explanation of all the functions that the Rheaird contained.

Lloyd took the moment of distraction to speak to Yuan, who had moved to the side out of the way of his assistant and the currently fanatic Professor. "Say, Yuan?" the Seraphim turned to the red-clad swordsman. "You did remember to take care of that little energy problem I told you of before…right?" Lloyd questioned. The last thing he needed was another re-living of crashing into the Fooji Mountains.

Yuan chuckled quietly and nodded. "The power sources of the Rheairds have been altered as you suggested. Instead of relying on a constant stream of mana for energy, they've been equipped with an energy pack to store mana that the Rheaird can collect while not in use. It should prove to be more reliable than the ones you had before."

"Let's hope so. It took me a few days just to stop feeling sore from crashing into the mountains." Lloyd sighed, recalling the difficult trek back down the mountain.

"You do realize that it was inadvertently your own doing, as you had released all the Seals in Sylvarant before arriving?" Yuan commented.

"Yeah, but who was the one who left the Rheairds out to be taken so quickly by us?"

Yuan sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose in embarrassment, even if it was for actions that had happened elsewhere beyond his own knowledge. "Damn Botta and his joyrides…" Before Lloyd could question it further, Botta had finished the explanation, and had instructed for the portal to be opened at his command. Lloyd nodded to Yuan and proceeded to his own Rheaird, jumping onto it and settling in while the others followed suit.

Botta stood behind one of the control screens and looked to each of the Rheairds and nodded. "All units are cleared and ready. When you proceed out of the hangar, follow in a fixed formation towards the portal. Allow Sir Kratos to lead you in as he is most familiar with this technology. Once you're across, you should fly to a safe landing point near Meltokio, where you will proceed on foot. Good luck and May Martel be with you." He pushed a button on his console and the intercom buzzed to life. "Opening Dimensional portal to Tethe'alla. 3…2…1…Execute!"

At his words, the hangar bay doors in front of the group opened, revealing the blue skies of the Triet desert. Kratos took off and Lloyd followed suit, with Sheena and Genis close behind them. Raine and Colette were right behind Genis, and the six were soon high in the sky above the base, the powerful winds whipping at their hair as they flew towards a multicolored light visible above the base. Upon getting a closer view of it, Raine nearly fell off her Rheaird in shock. "He actually was right! I can't believe it!" she exclaimed over the winds and the hum of the portal before them.

"You can analyze it later, Professor! Right now, focus on flying straight into it! Here we go!" Lloyd yelled, and the group surged forward and into the portal, their vision becoming a blur of colors and lights as they were teleported to Tethe'alla.

* * *

**Tethe'alla- Renegade Base**

A burst of light appeared above the base, startling some of the soldiers who had been patrolling the area. They watched with shock as several Rheairds appeared out of the portal and flew towards the direction of Meltokio. "Sir, should we report this to Lord Yuan?" one of the soldiers asked to his commander.

"I highly doubt that whoever is flying those Rheairds would be using them without Lord Yuan's knowledge. Of course…one might question if they actually know how to properly fly them…" the commander responded, observing as one of the Rheairds seemed to wobble and fall out of formation before re-joining.

Up in the air, Lloyd and the group had emerged from their warp and immediately was beset by chilling cold and harsh winds, far worse than what they had felt back in Sylvarant. Lloyd held a hand up to cover his face, and saw nothing but white snow and ocean beneath him. "We've made it through! Is everyone ok?" He yelled, doing a quick count of Rheairds and feeling relieved that all six were present.

"I'm good, if a little shaken!" Sheena yelled from his left. She looked behind her to Genis and saw him holding a thumb up as a sign he was ok.

"I'm alright, but why is it so cold here? Is it winter?" Colette asked, hovering near Kratos who seemed unfazed by the journey.

"The Renegade base on Tethe'alla is kept hidden near the frozen south, close to the city of Flanoir." Kratos answered.

"Well, I guess that makes sense…wait, where's Raine?" Genis questioned, looking above him to see if maybe she had flown up by accident.

Lloyd glanced around him for a moment before catching sight of Raine's Rheaird, which was keeping level though moving at a slow pace behind them. He turned and flew over to her, and raised an eyebrow when he saw her standing there with her eyes closed, looking oddly calm. "Um…Professor? Is there a reason why you have your eyes closed?"

"That depends, Lloyd. Is there still an ocean of water beneath us?" she asked.

Lloyd looked down and was greeted with the sight of the bright blue seawater beneath them. "Yes, there is, Professor."

"Then I see no reason why I need to open my eyes to observe it when I can fly this machine with my eyes closed." She stated firmly.

Lloyd sweatdropped at her explanation for her actions. "You can fly a Rheaird, a machine you've never seen or operated until 10 minutes ago, with your eyes closed?"

"Do you doubt your teacher, Lloyd? Here, I'll prove it right now by flying up and even with the entire group." She then proceeded to shift a lever on her dash and was rewarded with a slow descent, leaving Lloyd to watch her with even a larger sweatdrop before he decided to act before the Professor's fear got her injured. He shifted down and caught her Rheaird underneath it with his wingtip, and helped to move her back to the group. Raine chanced an open glance to see the rest of the group flying in front of her. "You see? I can fly it perfectly well."

Lloyd sighed as the rest of the group sweatdropped. "Professor, for the sake of safety, you should really open your eyes and keep them open. What if something should fly into us, like a dragon or bird, and knock you off your Rheaird?"

Raine considered this for a moment before sighing realizing Lloyd was right. "Fine, I'll just keep my sight above the ground below." She chose to focus on the backside of Kratos' head and regained a level flight form, and the group proceeded onwards.

"Is everything alright back there?" Kratos asked, turning to look back at the pair.

"Everything will be if you keep your eyes forward and don't look back here!" Raine yelled, causing Kratos to jerk and immediately look straight ahead. "Is there a particular reason I need to do this?" he asked.

"I'd just do as she says, Kratos, at least for now. Besides, we're almost there." Lloyd stated, flying back up to the front and laughing internally at his father's confusion about why Raine was staring at the back of his head.

Eventually, the traveling adventurers made it beyond the cold winds of the ocean and came upon land, watching as trees and grasslands went by. Raine finally took her eyes off of Kratos and gazed upon the solid ground, sighing in relief at leaving the ocean behind them. She had to admit, the lands and areas all seemed to be so alive and prospering compared to how Sylvarant was. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity that came over her when they flew beyond many of the forests, though she couldn't explain why she felt it.

"We should land somewhere near Meltokio, since I'm sure that flying directly into it would probably cause us a lot of trouble, especially with technology that's not available to the public yet." Sheena told Lloyd, the swordsman nodding before scouring the lands that lay before them. Meltokio was visible in the distance, its high walls and buildings able to be seen even from so high in the sky. He spotted a level clearing in a field near a roadway leading to Meltokio and pointed it out to Sheena.

She looked to where he was pointing and nodded her agreement, and the pair headed down to land. The rest of the group followed suit, keeping enough distance apart so they could all land safely without falling atop each other. When they came near to landing, dust was kicked up and swirled around them, and soon dissipated to reveal the group all safely on the ground and off their Rheairds. Sheena turned to hers and pushed a small button on the bottom side of the dash, causing her machine to power down and fold until it was small enough to carry in her bag. The rest of the group followed suit and soon they were on foot, making their way towards the great city.

"So what is Meltokio like, Sheena?" Genis asked, curious about their destination.

Sheena thought for a moment before replying. "Well, Meltokio is one of the largest cities on Tethe'alla, where some of the richest and highest class people in the world reside, as well as the Royal Family of Tethe'alla who rule over Meltokio and much of Tethe'alla itself. It's always been an active place, with plenty of festivals and events to keep the people who live there happy and occupied. It's also home to the Coliseum, where fighters of all kinds come to prove their worth in battle. It's quite a place to see in person." She described, reminiscing a little herself about her time here while working on her Summoner abilities.

"I hope that we're able to speak with the king quickly enough. I want to learn more about that dark swordsman we fought back at the Tower of Salvation." Raine stated.

"The archives of the Royal Family are one of the most detailed and massive collections in all of Tethe'alla. If we can't find anything there, then I don't know of anywhere else we could really search." Sheena said.

Colette looked ahead and saw something that confused her. "Sheena, does Meltokio always display banners along its walls?"

The summoner cocked an eyebrow at the question, but answered the blonde Chosen anyway. "Yes, usually blue banners as that is the symbolic color of peace times for Tethe'alla. Why do you ask?"

"I'm asking because those aren't blue banners on the wall. They're black, and I can see flowers along their edges. What does that mean?" Colette pointed ahead, and Sheena followed her gaze, stopping in her movement when she saw that Colette was right; black banners covered the walls, and there was little noise coming from beyond the walls. Usually, one could hear the hustle and bustle of market merchants going up and down the street as they vendor their wares. However, it was eerily silent, causing Sheena great concern.

"Black banners? But that would mean…something's wrong. We need to get inside now!" Sheena exclaimed, and rushed forward, now running towards the city's main gates. Lloyd and co. were startled at how she suddenly took off, but soon caught up with her and kept pace until they reached the gates, which were being manned by two guards, both of whom had their helms off and their faces on display. They saw the group approach and stood tall and called to them. "Who approaches the city of Meltokio? Have you come to pay your respects?"

Sheena stopped and bowed to the guards. "I am Sheena Fujibayashi, shinobi of Mizuho and servant to King Tethe'alla. I bring travelers with me from afar." She motioned to the rest of the group, who nodded their heads.

The guards nodded back and replied, "You are welcome to the city of Meltokio, travelers. But this day is a day not of joy or welcoming, truly. It is a day of sorrow for us all."

"What has happened? Why have the banners of peace been removed from the city walls?" Sheena questioned them.

The guard on her left, a man with short brown hair and a small scar under his eye, replied, "Do you not know what has passed? Surely you have heard the news through whispers or messengers to the other villages?" When they shook their head no, the guard sighed before speaking again. "What has happened to cause us to display the banners of mourning…is the passing of our great king, Lord Tethe'alla. He has been ill, but when we thought he was progressing back to full health, he took a sudden turn and passed just yesterday evening."

Sheena's eyes widened in shock at the news. "He's…he's dead?" She looked to Lloyd who had stepped up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder to support her.

_'The King is dead…damn! This is not good. I'm willing to bet this is going to cause a whole new mess of problems for us…'_ he thought to himself as he and the group entered the city at the urging of the guard.

* * *

**1. The name Greene was taken from a random list of famous physics theorists that I found. It sounded good and served the purpose of allowing Yuan to one-up Raine, hehe.**

**Looks like Lloyd and the gang will be seeing no easy trip this time around. Without the King, who will take over the monarchy? And just when everything seemed to be going so well…**

** I wish to apologize for how long it took me to complete this chapter, as I'm sure many of you have been waiting patiently for its arrival. The first month of summer was occupied with me moving back home, getting settled back in, and finding a job for myself to make money to help pay for college. I was so focused on it that my creative abilities took a bit of a downturn, which also caused me to feel terrible as I felt I had lost my touch.**

** Fortunately, I managed to get back into the swing of things, now with my job in hand and plenty of writing energy back within my grasp! This chapter was more or less a transition chapter, designed to get the group from Sylvarant and into the world of Tethe'alla, as well as allow some humor to slip in and help relax the mood from the last chapter. One has to admit, a food fight between Lloyd and Kratos would be most amusing to see. I also liked writing the Sheena/Lloyd fluff, though it may seem to be a bit more progressive than one may expect. But when you see your crush fall over a cliff and into a bottomless pit, you tend to get a bit clingy… **

** I will work on the next chapter as soon as my muse and my work permit me to, and hope to have it up and going before I head back to college at the end of August. Till then, please read and review!**


	28. Chapter 28

*Tranquil silence is heard as the camera's view reveals Raenef and Infinite Freedom lounging in Raenef's yard, observing his dogs leap and bound everywhere possible*

I.F: So, have you thought of a way to introduce the next chapter yet?

Raenef: *sips on his glass of sweet tea* I actually don't have anything this time around. It's a nice enough day that the shenanigans of my insane mind decided to take a break for once.

I.F: Your shenanigans get breaks? Mine hardly give me a chance to rest.

Raenef: Oh no, they get more than just breaks. They have health insurance, and dental too.

*both are quiet for a moment, soaking up the breeze and sun. Raenef's dogs are now chasing each other in a roundabout game of tag*

I.F: …Gundams?

Raenef: *nods* Gundams.

*Two massively large Gundam mobile suits suddenly clash in the sky, and a massive battle commences*

I.F and Raenef: Epic! *toast drinks*

* * *

**Chapter 28 of ToS: Second Chance, coming at you! We've reached Tethe'alla, and have found the king is dead! What will the group do now with the patriarch of the royal family dead? Read on to find out!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

Meltokio, the capital city of Tethe'alla, was normally a bustling and active, lively city. Its doors were open to all travelers of all walks of life, and many a person could be found traversing the marketplaces and various stores within its walls. Children would run and play through the streets. Warriors and fighters would make their way to the Coliseum to test their might. Members of the upper class families would go out to greet and chat with other fellow caste members, and all was peaceful.

Today, however, was not such a day for Meltokio. Such was the scene that Lloyd and the group had stumbled onto as they entered the city. The bustling streets were silent, not a child in sight. The Coliseum, a place always bursting with sounds of combat and victory, was now without a single participant. Every stand and store was closed, and a black drape displayed over their windows in mourning for the passing of the great King Tethe'alla. The group was escorted by the guards they had met at the entrance up to where the funeral proceedings would take place, in the open courtyard that connected the royal castle with the Holy Church of Martel and the upper class district.

Lloyd looked to his friends and saw mixed emotions on them all. Genis and Colette seemed downcast, both keeping their eyes down and making sure to not get in anyone's way. Raine was somewhat pensive, keeping to herself and her thoughts. Lloyd could imagine hearing some of the gears in her mind cranking as she went, though he wasn't sure exactly what she could be thinking of at that moment. Kratos also appeared indifferent, though Lloyd could tell by his stance and how he walked that he was caught off guard by the king's death. Lloyd could relate, as he still remembered meeting the king for the first time on the Journey, and how he seemed well enough to speak and see them, even if he was being poisoned at the time.

When he looked to Sheena, though, he saw her expression was focused and determined. She was on guard for something, but for what? "Sheena? What is it?" Lloyd questioned the summoner, moving closer to her to give them a little privacy.

"Something's fishy here. I can't put my finger on it, but my instincts are telling me something is off." Her eyes darted around them, looking behind and between the crowds of people for the sign her instincts are trying to show her.

"What do you mean? Is someone following us?" Lloyd asked. He resisted the urge to turn around and try to find a possible stalker that had followed them in.

"No, I don't think so, but…we're not safe here. That much I know." Sheena stated before going quiet again, as the group had reached the top of the staircase leading to the courtyard. Many of the citizens had forgone their colorful attire for black, to represent their mourning. Even the wealthy kept their appearances simple, humbled by the presence of death right before them. There was a long line of people who each were given their moment to pay their last respects to the fallen king. Lloyd and the group fell into line, and it wasn't too long before they each took their turn. Raine, Colette, and Genis settled for a simple nod and small prayer before moving on. Kratos bowed his head and muttered a phrase in a language Lloyd did not recognize before moving on to allow Lloyd and Sheena their turn.

Lloyd wasn't quite sure what to think or say as he looked upon the king's face, calm and pale white in his casket. In Iselia, funerals were closed events for only family and close friends of the deceased. The rest of the village would pay their respects from afar. To be up close like this was something to put life into perspective for him. He took Sheena's hand and squeezed it, relieved to feel her squeeze back. Lloyd nodded his head and uttered a short prayer he had learned from Raine in class before raising his head again. He looked to Sheena and saw she too had her head bowed, and waited for her to finish.

When Sheena was done, she raised her head, but paused when her eyes became level with the King's neck for a moment. Her eyes narrowed as she saw what appeared to be a faded yet still present red mark on the side of his neck. Her instincts reared their head again, telling her this was something she had seen before, and that its presence was something to note. The summoner straightened and walked away with Lloyd, thoughts racing as she tried to catch what her instincts had recognized.

The group stayed to witness the rest of the service, with a sorrowful farewell from the Princess as well as several other key members of the Royal Family. Lloyd found himself searching amongst the few people present on the stage before the crowd for a certain red-head, yet found that he was not present. "Where could he be?" Lloyd muttered under his breath.

"What is it, Lloyd?" Kratos stood beside him, and had caught what Lloyd had said.

"Tethe'alla's Chosen, Zelos. He isn't here. Don't you think it's a little suspicious that the Chosen would not be present for the funeral of the leader of his people? For that matter, where is the Pope? Shouldn't he be here as well, representing the Church?" Lloyd answered.

Kratos took in his son's words and realized he was right. The lack of the presence of two of Tethe'alla's holiest figures, both the Pope and the Chosen One, was an immediate red flag. Something was happening behind the scenes in Meltokio. But what could it be? "You make a solid point. A dead king, a missing pope and Chosen…I sense a plot is afoot. Be on your guard." He kept his hand on his sword and began scanning the crowd with his senses, trying to identify any possible threats that may appear.

"So what will happen now? Does the Princess take over as ruler of Meltokio?" Genis asked to a nearby citizen. He looked around for a moment before spotting the owner of the voice and question.

"We do not know, young man. Under normal circumstances, the King would declare an heir to his throne, one who would rule over the kingdom properly by his distinction. At least, that's the way it used to be…" the stranger muttered to himself.

"What do you mean? What happened?" the mini mage questioned.

The man's eyes took a hardened glint to their appearance, and he continued to speak. "Before the king passed on, several laws were written that altered the terms of his naming the next ruler. Many of us objected to these changes, as we felt the power and authority of the king should remain in sole control of him and his family. However, our voices went unheeded. The king's council supported and approved the changes, and now we are left with a different structure than before. To make matters worse, the Princess herself has gone into hiding, leaving us peasants with no one to turn to."

Lloyd turned his head in the pair's direction, eyes wide at what he heard. '_If the King is dead, and the Princess is no longer here in Meltokio…then the only one left to rule would be…' _Realization struck Lloyd cold. Before he could make his understanding known, a loud voice echoed out to all the people present, "Make way for His Holiness and your new king, Pope Tethe'alla XII!" Lloyd's worst fears were confirmed as he watched the crowd part to make way for a short, round man who was being escorted on horseback through the people. He had a brown handlebar moustache, and his eyes seemed alight with barely hidden glee as he rode.

Lloyd's fists shook as he looked on. Few people if any seemed to give the Pope any acknowledgement, some intimidated by the presence of his personal armored guard. '_He probably manipulated the King into signing those new laws while he was dying and weak. And now that he's ruler, he's parading around as if he's achieved some great feat. Dammit!' _ Lloyd thought angrily. '_We need to get out of here before he spots Raine and Genis. If he does, there's no telling what he might do with his newfound authority!'_

The Pope-turned-King approached the head of the crowd and dismounted from the horse, approaching the coffin with a look of sorrow on his features. But Lloyd, able to see his eyes, knew it was all a front. His eyes held no sadness or despair; they were filled with nothing but glee and perverse joy. The false king turned to face the people and began to speak.

"My fellow people of Meltokio! I know this is a day of great sorrow for you all. Many of you loved our fallen King with all of your heart, and know that I was no exception. When I heard of my brother's passing, I fell into grief and sorrow. I felt as if Martel herself had turned away from us, to take away our beloved king! I knew him to be a healthy, strong man, courageous and powerful, wise and knowing. To see him taken by disease at such an age is enough to remind many of us of our own mortality."

Lloyd gritted his teeth to hold back his anger. Kratos saw his son reacting and placed a hand on his shoulder. Lloyd tensed until he realized who it was holding him, and let out a long sigh. "Thanks, Kratos." He whispered. Kratos nodded as the Pope continued.

"But we must not lose our faith and our hope, my fellow citizens! Though I take on the mantel of ruler with a heavy heart, I know I will do my best to serve you and protect you as my brother did, and Martel will guide me to see us through this dark time and back into the light! As both your Pope and your King, this I swear!" His reply was the half hearted cheer of some of the populace, along with the cheers of his guard that were spread throughout the people, keeping the peace while he spoke.

"However, even with this newfound hope, we must be ever arduous, and persistent in both protecting our home and way of life, as well as seeking out those who would seek to undo us! Already, many of my advisors have come forward, informing me of suspicious figures who have been seen wandering our streets, with illness and malady following in their wake! One of these figures was even spotted near our once living King's windowsill!" He made grand hand motions as he continued, his declaration causing some to gasp in shock at the idea of strangers stalking amongst them.

Lloyd felt a sudden sense of dread come to him, and knew something bad was going to happen. "Genis, come here, quick. Get behind me." Lloyd whispered to his friend. Genis heard him and quickly moved to join him. "What is it, Lloyd?"

"Keep yourself hidden behind me. I get the feeling something bad is about to happen." Lloyd stated, keeping his eyes on the man he knew to be a false leader.

"My people, do not be afraid! I have taken steps to see to this matter immediately! When my brother, your former king, passed on to the hands of Martel, I ordered an immediate investigation. We scoured the kingdom in search of possible culprits, and we have found evidence that may help us in finding the criminals responsible!" He reached into a pocket in his robes and held up a small plant for all to see. "The herb I hold before you all is what appears to be a common plant found here in our fields, nothing more than a weed to pluck and throw away. Some of our healers claim it is a healing plant, and have used it with some success on our sick and weary. We even attempted to give this to our king, in hopes of boosting his health. However, upon closer investigation, we discovered that this particular species of plant is not at all a healing plant. No, my citizens, this is a plant of death!" He threw it to the ground and crushed it under his boot.

"Some of you ask, 'where might this plant come from, oh king, so we might remove it before it harms another?' I will tell you where it comes from, citizens of Meltokio, from a place that I once thought to be our allies and friends! Tenuous though our relationship has been, not once have we aggravated an assault from them, but this offense cannot be allowed to pass!" He bellowed, the crowd starting to murmur and stir. Lloyd could feel the crowd's emotions shifting from grief to anger, though some he could see were keeping themselves under control. Not all were under the sway of the Pope's words, it would seem.

"The fiends who are responsible for this tragedy, the ones who took your king away from you, are the beings who live in Heimdall, the Elves!" The Pope declared. Lloyd heard Genis gasp behind him and realized that the time to leave was now. "Kratos, Sheena, get ready. We're getting out of here." Lloyd whispered, and the two nodded. Sheena nudged Raine who shook herself from the King's declaration, and after meeting Sheena's eyes, nodded in understanding. Colette was already ready beside Kratos, feeling anxious to leave the hostile atmosphere.

"But it's not just the Elves who are to blame, citizens. We must cast our eye of judgment upon those who carry Elven blood in their human bodies, the half-elves!" The Pope spat at his feet at their mention. "These accursed half bloods have sewn themselves into our world for too long. It is time to cleanse our home and purify our lands of their taint! We must rise against them, and drive them from our homes! My men, the Papal Knights, will search relentlessly for these people who would dare to bring harm to our king, and bring them before me to meet justice!"

The crowd roared in response, many of them being swayed by their wish to avenge the fallen king. "Find them! Search the whole city!" one pedestrian yelled and the crowd dispersed, splitting into multiple groups to find the accused offenders. From up high on the stage, the Pope-turned-King grinned evilly before turning towards the main castle, escorted by his elite soldiers. The bright day was beginning to give way to storm clouds, with black patches of sky beginning to drift over the city.

Lloyd and the group had taken care to move slowly yet steadily out of the gathered crowd towards the back and their way out through the main gate. However, once the crowd had erupted into a mob mentality, Lloyd picked up his pace and made way for the gate. "Hurry! We need to leave, now!" he exclaimed.

"We might have a problem with that. Look!" Raine exclaimed, pointing ahead. Lloyd followed her gaze and saw that the giant gate was shut, and Papal Knights lined the doors. "Damn! Come on, this way!" the swordsman replied, and turned down another street. The rest of the group followed suit as Lloyd led the way. Lloyd's memory did his best to guide him to the secret sewer exit that existed in the Shopping District, but within the chaos of the mob's surrounding them, it became difficult to keep track of his location.

"Sheena, you're more familiar with this city than any of us. Any quick exits you might know of that we can use?" the swordsman asked. He wanted her to take the lead in this situation. It would be very difficult to explain how exactly he knew where to lead them in a city that he was not supposed to have known existed.

"I know of a few places to hide ourselves in the city, but the most common exit was the front gate. If we can maybe reach one of the main sewer drains, we can use that to get out of this madhouse." Sheena replied. Thunder began to boom above them, lighting the sky as lightning arched across from cloud to cloud.

"The sewers? Isn't there anywhere else we can try?" Genis exclaimed. The last thing he wanted was to hop into the underbelly of a city like Meltokio.

"Unless you want to try reasoning with a mob, it's probably the only choice we've got. And I don't know about you, but I'm not much in the mood for fighting on the streets of Meltokio." Sheena stated, ducking right down another street. Unfortunately, it proved to be a wrong turn, as they came smack across one of the larger mobs sent into a frenzy at the Pope's words. Both parties came to a halt as they took in each other's appearance.

One of the mob's members, a particularly ugly man with no eyebrows or hair and plenty of bulk caught sight of Raine and Genis' white hair. Now, while this man wasn't considered very smart, having learned nothing but a trade as a butcher since he was a child, he still knew some things were natural and some weren't. Brown hair or black hair? That's normal. But white hair? That wasn't normal at all. "Hey, look! There's one of them half elves right there!" He bellowed out.

Genis immediately flinched and took a step back. Lloyd and Raine both stepped forward in front of him. "Back off! He's no threat to you or anyone here!" Lloyd warned, prepared to fight. The last thing he wanted was to have to fight civilians, but if they intended to harm Genis, he'd be left with no choice. His warning seemed to have little effect, though. The mob, still under the sway of the Pope's manipulations, stepped forward to confront the group.

Lloyd's hands itched towards his blades as he surveyed his surroundings. To his left and right, water barrels had been stacked along some of the bare walls of the stores; an emergency source of water should a fire break out. Lloyd's mind, however, formed a different plan. "Genis, I need your help to get us out of here. You see those barrels of water by the stores?" he asked.

Genis shook himself out of his fear to hear Lloyd's question. He looked about them and nodded. "Yeah, but what about them?"

Lloyd measured out the distance with his eyes as he continued. "I'm going to break them apart and send the water into the street. When that happens, I need you to freeze the water as solidly as you can. Think you can do that?" The mob stepped closer to them, now starting to pick up their pace as they were all directed towards the half-elves before them.

Genis nodded again. "You can count on me!" He pulled out his kendama and began gathering his mana for his ice magic. He'd normally have to draw together water from the atmosphere, but with Lloyd's plan, he'd have plenty to spare.

"Ready? Go!" Lloyd yelled as he drew his swords and struck the ground twice, sending two Demon Fangs towards the stacked barrels. The force of the attack carried them through the rock and cobblestone, leaving a trail behind them as they crashed into the barrels, sending water flying across the street in the mob's direction.

"Icicle!" Genis called out, and the water solidified into solid ice before their eyes. The mob, meanwhile, had paid them no heed save to charge at them and to vent their feelings of rage and sorrow upon them. Lloyd and co. quickly sheathed their weapons and fled, not bothering to look back. Lloyd knew it was a success when he heard a collective cry of pain as they ran. "That won't hold them for long! A spell like that would only last minutes at best!" Genis exclaimed.

"It'll be enough to get us out of here!" Sheena exclaimed as she led them through an alleyway. They emerged out of it and Sheena finally felt a rush of relief as she spotted a large open courtyard in front of them. It was an area where children of the upper class would often be spotted playing and having fun, though at the moment, it was bare of anyone. Rain had begun to fall from the sky, no doubt nature's response to the events that had come to pass. A large green circular disk sat in the middle of the courtyard, and the group made their way to it.

"This should be the entrance to the sewers. We can finally get out of here!" Sheena exclaimed. She knelt down to reach for the latch and hefted it up, only for it to catch. Confused, Sheena tried it again, only to receive the same response. "Oh, come on!" she growled as she tried to loosen it. "It's jammed!"

"We've got company!" Colette exclaimed. The group turned to her voice to see that the mob they'd eluded before had caught up…and had brought friends. Armed with sticks, rocks, and whatever else they could get their hands on, the mass mob swarmed into the courtyard, conveniently being led by the same muscle brute the group had met before. His head was now bruised, no doubt from the ice used to slow them down. "There they are! The half-elf scum and their protectors! That little one cast magic on u, he did!" he exclaimed, brandishing a butcher's cleaver.

Sheena was still struggling to get the latch to open, now being assisted by Kratos who also found it to be stuck. "Lloyd, what do we do?" Genis asked, fingering his kendama as the mob approached them.

Lloyd grimaced as time seemed to slow. '_If we attack them, we'll only end up boosting the Pope's position! But we can't just leave ourselves defenseless…damn!' _ His eyes dashed around, trying to locate another exit route to take. Another alleyway to loop around them? Maybe scale the walls and leap out? Take to the roofs and jump along them like the shadowy figure he just saw go by? Lloyd's thought process paused when he caught up with himself. '_Wait, what?'_ He turned to look again, and the figure was gone. He was brought back to the situation when he heard the roar of the mob in his ears.

"Capture them! Bring them before the Pope and bring justice to our fallen king!"

"Kill the Half-elves! The traitors!"

"Kill them all!"

Kratos ran to Lloyd's side and drew his blade. "Lloyd, I know that you face a hard choice, but we must act. Do we fight, or run?" he questioned.

Lloyd growled and drew his blades as well. "I hate to do this…but we're gonna have to fight back. I don't want to fight civilians; especially ones I know aren't fighters. But if they intend to come and try to get Genis or Raine…" he trailed off before taking his ready stance. "…they're gonna have to go through me."

Kratos nodded and prepared to fight alongside his son when they both were caught off guard by a call of "Victory Light Spear!" rang out above the crowd. Lloyd looked up, as did the rest of the group and the mob, to see a figure come spiraling down from the sky towards them. He held up a sword that was glowing bright white, and lightning flashed as he landed in front of Lloyd and the group, using the force of the crash to stop the mob's advance.

Lloyd looked on as the dust cleared away slowly to reveal a tall figure before him, the blade shining white but fading as the attack's effect wore off. In his other hand was a basic wood shield with a metal base. _'There's only one other person who I know uses that technique…'_ The dust continued to fade as more was revealed. He had long red hair that came to his mid-back, a white headband wrapped around his forehead to keep it off of his face. He wore a light pink thin vest with a black undershirt, and white pants that ended into boots with metal reinforcement. At the base of his neck sat a pristine red jewel, encased in gold and sitting of its own accord on his skin.

"I don't know what exactly is going on here, or why you're trying to attack these people, but I'm not kosher with it. Not one bit." Zelos Wilder announced as he twirled his blade. "Especially these cute hunnies behind me. What on earth would make you want to harm them?"

Sheena's eyebrow twitched as she looked on at their so called savior. "Yep…that's him alright…" she muttered under her breath.

"C-Chosen One! We were following the orders of King Tethe'alla XII! He told us that all the half-elves should be found and brought before him!" one member of the mob declared.

Zelos shook his head and frowned at the crowd. "You mean to tell me they let that idiot take power? Of all the ones they could've chosen…" Zelos muttered to himself before addressing the crowd again. "Hear me, fair citizens of Meltokio! Hear the words of your Chosen One! There's no justice from attacking innocents, no glory to be gained! Do you mean to tell me that you, each and every one of you, believe that by harming these people, you hope to avenge our fallen king?" His reply was quiet as the mob contemplated his words. Some began to put down their weapons, seeing how foolish they had been.

Zelos turned to face the group, and smirked as he spoke to Lloyd. "So, any particular reason that these guys were chasing you, bud?"

Lloyd nearly face-faulted at being coined his old nickname that Zelos had called him by before. However, he kept his composure and answered the Chosen. "We had come here to speak to the King about a private matter, but we discovered that he had passed away, so we chose to attend his funeral procession. However, the new king, the Pope, got everyone into a frenzy when he declared half-elves were responsible for the King's death."

Zelos nodded in understanding. "Gotcha. I should've known something like this would happen. Don't worry, though. The people of Meltokio are keener to listen to the blessed child of Martel than a crazy fanatical king." He replied with a flourish before facing the crowd again.

"Now come on, people, let's just calm down and take it easy. There's no need for…for…violence…" He trailed off as he saw armored figures making their way through the amassed crowd. "Oh, come on…" he muttered.

"Zelos Wilder! Under orders decreed by his majesty, we are to take you in for questioning! Surrender yourself and the half-elves peacefully, and no harm will come to you!" A Papal knight declared, his armor marking him as one of the commanders of his division. He brandished his halberd before him, to emphasize his authority.

Zelos ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Not these guys again…they just don't give me peace anymore…" he sighed. He looked back towards Lloyd and the group. "I hate to say this, but we're gonna have to run. The people of Meltokio may listen to me, but the Pope's Papal Knights obey him and him only. My authority over them has been revoked as of recent events."

Lloyd nodded in understanding. "You can fill us in on everything once we're out of here." Lloyd turned back to the jammed sewer grate and decided to go for a more direct approach to opening it. "Sheena, Kratos, stand back!" the pair stepped away from the covering as Lloyd suddenly leapt into the air. Everyone present looked on in awe as he peaked at maximum height before coming back down swiftly. He slammed into the grate as he yelled out, "Hunting Beast!" releasing a powerful shockwave that knocked the grate off of its hinges and out of the way. "Let's get out of here!" Lloyd declared as he went down the shaft's ladder.

"Stop them, they're escaping!" The Papal Knights charged forward to apprehend them, but Genis was at the ready this time.

"Not so fast! Take this!" Genis pointed his Kendama towards the sky, loud rumbling echoing across the sky. Taking care to not aim at the civilians, Genis instead focused on the ground in front of the Knights, and called out, "Thunder Blade!" A giant blade of lightning flashed from the sky and crashed into the ground, sending a blinding wave of light forward that blocked everyone from view. When the light cleared and the gathered crowd could see again, there was no trace of the Chosen or the group, only the smoking crater of the spell's landing and a recovered sewer hole.

"Should we pursue them, sir? We could have men be stationed at all of the sewer routes that lead out of the city." One soldier asked to his commander.

"After that display, I'd be wary of trying to follow them into a confined space like the sewers. It could end in catastrophe for us. No, this is one time they'll escape us. Secure the rest of the city! Make sure no one else tries to escape!" He barked out his orders, and the Knights soon dispersed to the rest of the city's borders.

* * *

**Beneath Meltokio**

"Do you think we're safe now?" Colette asked Raine as the group made their way through the intricate passageways of the Sewers. They had been up and down, taken corridors and stairways, and had finally reached a point where they could relax.

"I believe so, for the time being. It would be difficult to follow the path we took, especially in the clunky armor that those knights wore. They'd be lucky to make it down the entrance shaft." Raine concluded. She had her staff out and was using the light magic she knew to grant them a little visibility within the dark underground.

"Well then, if we are safe, I'd like to have some answers. Just what the heck is going on that the Pope is being given rule over Meltokio? Not to mention how suspicious the king's death looks as well." Sheena questioned, turning to their guide and rescue, Zelos. The red-headed Chosen had been standing off to the side, looking about the Sewer and the machines that ran its systems. They all stood on a platform overlooking some of the more complicated machinery. "Well, Zelos? How did all this come about?"

Zelos stirred himself out of his thoughts and turned to face Sheena. He smiled a broad smile, though Lloyd could see it was forced. "Sheena! My beautiful ninja hunny! I'm so glad to see you're alright!" He went forward and dashed at her as if to embrace her, though Sheena was prepared for it. She quickly sidestepped and tripped the Chosen, sending him head over heels down a staircase. The rest of the group winced at how the impact echoed. "Ow…must you be so cold to me, Sheena?" Zelos groaned.

"Sorry, Zelos, but I'm not as easy as those women who claim to be your biggest fans. Now, come on, out with it. What's been going on? I disappear for a couple of months on a mission, and when I come back, the king is dead and the Pope is now ruler. The Princess is missing, and from what you said, your authority has been revoked. Spill the beans." Sheena demanded, resting her back against a railing next to Lloyd.

Zelos picked himself up and dusted off, sighing and making his way back to the top. "A lot's changed since you left, Sheena. Some things that are suspicious and others that I don't understand. First and foremost, I suppose you want to know about the King." Seeing them nod, he took a breath to compose himself before starting. "While I wasn't always around to check on the King, anytime I've seen him, he was in good health. He's always been strong, even during hard times, never giving in to fatigue or illness so long as his people needed him. So imagine my surprise when I caught wind that the king had fallen ill to a new type of disease, one that rendered him incapacitated, barely able to walk." Zelos began to pace as he continued.

"When I took the chance to stop by and see the King myself, I was barred from seeing him. That was when my first suspicion came about. Never in my life as the Chosen had I been denied the right to see the King, especially just because he was ill. I was told it was by the Pope's orders, which made it all the more suspicious to me. He and I have never gotten along, and I knew it was starting to show. I started to get more suspicious when the founding laws that have been in place since Meltokio first came to be were changed. Looking from a distance, all one could see was just laws for commerce, military, and the people. But digging in, I found that many of them were being tweaked and manipulated, and more often than not in favor of the Pope." Zelos sighed again. "That's when things really started to go downhill."

The silence of the sewers seemed to give more weight to Zelos' words. The only sound aside from his voice was the quiet dripping of water from a loose pipe, or the skittering of a rat on the ground.

"It had apparently come to someone's attention that I was looking into all the business going on behind the scenes. The next thing I know, I'm being summoned before the Pope to be accused of heresy to the Church of Martel. They informed me that I had neglected to fulfill my duties as a Chosen One, and informed me they planned to take my Cruxis Crystal and place it upon my sister. You can imagine my reaction to that idea." Zelos hands wandered towards the jewel in question and he traced its edges. "In response, I openly accused the Pope of trying to manipulate the sickened king into giving him more power. He of course denied it and had the backing of the rest of the King's Counsel, no doubt bought through gold and promises of power. With everything in the open, I had no choice but to flee Meltokio. On my way out, I heard that the Princess herself had fled as well, though to where, I don't know."

Zelos looked back up at the group, his heart lightened by everyone's sympathetic gaze. "When I had heard the king had passed on, I decided to come back, out of respect for the man. I saw the Pope give his little tirade at the procession. It was tempting to simply eliminate him there and then, but that wouldn't solve anything. I decided to head out once I saw that everything was becoming chaotic, when I happened upon you guys. And so, here I am." He held up his hands in an open gesture.

Sheena nodded. "I knew I sensed something when we were there today. I couldn't tell if it was friendly or not, but you had me on guard."

Lloyd nodded as he took it all in. "So the Pope took control through changing the laws of the kingdom for his own benefit. And because of that, you lost your standing as Chosen and the Princess had to go into hiding. But that still leaves the question of how the King died. What could've done it?" he pondered aloud.

"I bet I know." Sheena stated, getting everyone's attention. "What do you mean, Sheena?" Raine asked.

"When we all walked by the King's coffin earlier today, I noticed something that stuck out like a sore thumb. On the right side of his neck, there was a bright red spot, though it was concealed with makeup. It had a small opening, right in the middle that looked like it had scarred over. There was also an odd shade of yellow surrounding the spot."

"But what does that mean? Could it have been a bug bite or maybe an infected wound?" Raine questioned. She was running through all the medical ailments she knew of that could cause such symptoms. There were several, but none had all the symptoms together in such a way.

"You're close, Professor; but a little off the mark. I've been trained in many fields as a Kunoichi of Mizuho: Stealth, Intel, Seduction, Combat, and Assassination. That mark on the King's neck was no bite from an insect or an attack. It was an injection point. Someone got close to the king and injected him with poison, directly into his system. And knowing the way that the Pope would have preferred it to be for his plan, it was a slow acting agent as well. Fast enough to kill him soon, but slow enough that it made it look like he was sick." Sheena explained, drawing gasps from Colette and Lloyd.

"Wouldn't someone have noticed it though? Surely one of the king's healers could have caught it and saw it for what it was?" Colette asked, her eyes open as she took everything in. Never did Colette imagine she would be learning the details of such a nefarious event, but such things seemed to be happening everywhere around her.

Sheena shook her head. "Unless they had been taught in Mizuho, no ordinary healer would have caught it. I can't say for sure what it is, but if anyone might know, it'd be my chief in Mizuho, Tiga."

"Is there someone we should take this to? Someone who could maybe help us get rid of the Pope and restore Zelos' authority as Chosen?" Genis questioned aloud.

Kratos finally stepped forward to speak, having been quiet and listening to everyone speak. "We have a good deal of testimony, but little evidence to back it up, particularly with the Pope being backed by the King's Counsel. We have no sample of the agent that could have killed the King, no papers or documents to detail or provide evidence of the Pope bribing the counsel. Zelos' information would do little good in Meltokio, as he at the moment has no standing there due to the Pope's decree. And that's not to mention the rest of our troubles that brought us here."

Lloyd sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "From one situation right into the next one. We never seem to catch a break anymore." He remarked.

"So what do we do now? Where do we go from here?" Genis asked. "We came here to look for information on Amatsu-Mikaboshi, but now we have this to deal with too."

Zelos blinked at the odd name he had heard. "Amatsu-whatawhat? What the heck is that?"

Sheena shook her head. "It's a long story, to say the least. We'll tell it to you along the way." She debated for a moment before adding, "I say we go to my home village, Mizuho. We can ask about the sword there, as well as about how the King may have died."

Zelos swiveled around to face Sheena. "Hold on, Sheena. Didn't you tell me before that Mizuho wouldn't allow for outsiders to see the village?"

"I did, but the circumstances have changed. I'll handle it if it causes trouble. Besides, I have to report back to inform the Vice Chief about my mission to Sylvarant. He'll want to know everything that's happened." The summoner replied.

"Then it's settled. Let's head for Mizuho!" Lloyd declared confidently to rally the rest of the group. It seemed to take effect, as the rest of them smiled and stood ready with him. Zelos smiled a small smile seeing Lloyd get everyone's emotions back up so quickly. "Looks like I'll tag along too. After all, someone's gotta keep these gorgeous ladies company!" he declared, throwing an arm around Raine and Colette and laughing. He quickly disengaged though when he saw Sheena crack her knuckles in his direction. "Or perhaps I could lead us out of here! Yes, there's a good idea!" He took the lead and led the way down another long staircase, the rest of the group in tow as they made their way through the rest of the sewers.

* * *

**And thus, Chapter 28 is done.**

**I would have had this chapter completed sooner, but with me moving in to college, as well as some unfortunate drama with someone who I thought was my friend, I was delayed. Needless to say, I'm now back on track.**

**So now the plot thickens, with the Pope's manipulations, Zelos' ousting as the Chosen, and the decision to head to the secret village of Mizuho. What will happen next? You'll have to read to find out.**

**Read and review!**


	29. Chapter 29

*Loud noises echo throughout the house as Infinite Freedom wanders about, trying to locate Raenef to ask for the next update of ToS: SC. As he moves amongst the rubbish and various trash, the noises become louder. He finally happens across a large oak door that bears a sign, reading: "Super Secret Project Room. No one but Raenef is allowed inside!"*

I.F: He always was one to be somewhat…eccentric. *knocks on door* Oi, Raenef! Come out of there!

*crashing noises heard inside*

Raenef: Just a minute! I've almost got- oh god! *explosion occurs, smoke drifting under the door through the cracks* Close one there. Coming!

*I.F raises his eyebrow at this but lets it slide. The door finally opens to reveal a slightly haggard and beaten Raenef, who is nonetheless alive*

Raenef: *closes door behind him* Sorry, working on a project. It's a secret one, very hush-hush.

I.F: *nods figuring he'll learn about it later* In that case, why don't you go ahead and upload the next chapter, since you've got so much work ahead of you?

Raenef: That's not a bad idea. Let's do that! *goes to nearby comp that pops out of the wall, surprising I.F. Raenef hits a few keys and uploads the next chapter*

* * *

**Hello, one and all! Here's chapter 29, and I wish to apologize for it being late. I had it halfway complete a week ago, but I was smacked in the face with midterms, and found that I had to put this on hold to make sure I didn't do terribly. But now I'm back on track, for the time being anyway.**

**So now the group heads off to Mizuho in order to get their bearings and hopefully evade the Pope turned King's wide reach in Meltokio. What will they find there? How will Sheena handle returning home with a slew of outsiders to her hidden village and home? Let's find out, shall we?**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

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"Lloyd, duck!" Genis exclaimed as he launched a fireball at the Pumpkin Tree that sought to bash the Swordsman's head in. He dove down and felt the ball of heat fly past him and into the monster, causing it to screech as the fire ate away at the dry wood that served as its skin. Turning to face it, Lloyd unleashed a barrage of strikes that quickly removed the Pumpkin Tree's arms from existence, followed by its midriff and then its head. It collapsed into a heap as the rest of the group finished off their opponents.

They had been making their way through Gaoracchia Forest for some time now, after escaping Meltokio and the Pope's grand takeover of the royal city. Lloyd had at first put thought to how they would get through the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge to reach the forest on the other side, but was fortunately reminded by Raine and Sheena that they had the Rheairds for just such an occasion. As quick as possible, the group flew across the sea to the other land mass that made up Tethe'alla. Zelos had been designated to fly along with Colette, who after a moment of thought chose to just use her wings to fly alongside Zelos. Zelos had at first been shocked by Colette's wings before remembering that his journey as Chosen One would've granted him the same abilities. But he was content to use the flying machine for now.

The group was diverted, however, from landing directly at Mizuho. Sheena had explicitly told them there was no way she would permit them to fly there, nor would she guide them there unless it was on foot. She had to preserve the safety of her village and home, even if it meant more work just to reach it there. She felt more vindicated about walking when she overheard Zelos plotting to use the Rheaird to fly over the Mizuho Hot Springs. From there, she had led the group into the forest, following a discreetly marked path she knew would lead them through safely.

That was the plan at least, until they were assaulted by the monsters who resided in the forest.

"Light Spear!" Kratos yelled as he tore through a Ghoul that he and Colette were working together to defeat. His blade of light pierced the phantom's body and tore through him, causing it to wail in pain before being finished by a giant hammer, courtesy of Colette. She gave a cheer of victory before dashing to the side to avoid being caught in the grip of an Undertaker's coffin. The giant demon hand swiped for empty air before receding to its infinite darkness to await its next chance. Colette however chose to not give it that opportunity, and launched a volley of Angel Feathers at the undead monster, weakening it severely as the holy magics poured through it.

The group thought they were victorious, but soon found that only more creatures sought their blood. Ghouls and Pumpkin Trees appeared from the darkness, now accompanied by Boxer Irises for reinforcement. Before another grand melee could begin, though, Raine chose to put an end to the struggle and send the monsters fleeing.

"Blazing star of the sky, bring down your light upon my enemies!"(**1**) A ball of light formed above her head as she cast her magic, bright light issuing from her presence. "Ray!" she motioned with her staff, and beams of light shot out all around the group, blasting many of the monsters back and into the forest, now terrified of the powerful magic that the Professor wielded. The forest fell silent, and the group gave a collective sigh of relief.

"Ok…from now on, no one gives the Sorcerer's Ring to Zelos." Sheena stated as she pocketed her seal cards.

"What? How was I supposed to know that it would attract so many bad guys to where we were? All I wanted to do was try to help find the way!" Zelos exclaimed.

"Waving a bright beam of light all over a monster infested forest does not help anything!" Sheena growled. "Nor does it help to yell for help when you trip over a fallen tree branch!"

Zelos simply huffed and brushed dirt off of his clothing. "I can't help it. The entire world would be in tears if this gorgeous visage was harmed. I have to protect it at all costs!" Zelos gestured at his face for emphasis. Sheena chose to simply continue walking before she strangled the narcissistic Chosen. "Come on, we need to keep moving. I don't want to remain in this forest all night." The summoner stated before moving to the front of the group, Lloyd close behind her.

"How far away do you think we are, Sheena?" Lloyd asked, sheathing his blades after wiping off the blood and grime from the monsters they defeated.

"Not very far, I'd say within 15 minutes we should be out of here and safely at Mizuho's borders." She answered as she fell into pace with Lloyd. "So, do you think you're ready to witness one of the best well-hidden villages in all of Tethe'alla?"

"Of course I am! After all, we get to see your home village for the first time!" He exclaimed before leaning closer. "That is, first time for them, and a second for me." He laughed, reminding Sheena of Lloyd's knowledge from his past. She blushed in slight embarrassment at having forgotten.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, I'm still gonna give you the grand tour once we arrive there, so you better be a gracious guest and enjoy yourself, mister!" she teased, wagging a finger at him. Lloyd laughed quietly, making Sheena smile at their private joke. In her mind, she was hoping to give Lloyd the best impression of Mizuho possible, even if he had seen it before. There's viewing it through a stranger's eyes, and then seeing it through the eyes of someone raised there. She knew of plenty of places she wanted to show Lloyd while she had the chance.

Looking ahead, Sheena glimpsed the familiar crossroads that acted as one of the final legs of the way out of the forest. "Good, we're almost out of here. Just a little more to go and we'll be home free-" The summoner suddenly paused as her ears picked up a distinct rustling noise to her right, then her left. When she stopped, everyone else paused as well.

"What's up? Why did we stop?" Genis asked from the back of the group.

"Is something wrong?" Colette questioned, looking around her for any signs of danger.

Sheena's eyes made a careful sweep of the area in her vision before catching a small glimpse of blue that was gone when she looked back. "We're not alone. Everyone keep calm, and don't make any sudden moves." Sheena stated quietly. A tense moment passed after she spoke, and everyone blinked only to find that they were surrounded by figures dressed in blue variations of Sheena's clothing, though in place of where her bare skin showed, mesh wire shirts covered what the blue did not. Their facial features were hidden save for their eyes, and each wielded various weaponry, from shuriken to seal cards similar to Sheena's own.

"You are intruding on hidden grounds, strangers. Why have you entered this part of the forest?" one of the shinobi demanded.

Lloyd took care to not move for his weapons. "We're travelers, seeking out a village we heard was hidden in the Forest. We mean no harm." He stated quietly.

"A likely story, to be travelers who wandered into the forest. If you are merely as you say, why are you each carrying weapons?" Another asked, from Zelos' left.

"I wouldn't think it very wise to walk into a forest like this one unarmed, don't you? None of us have any interest in becoming a meal for a hungry monster." Raine said as she kept herself composed. She disliked the idea of being surrounded on all sides. It bore the same feel as when they had escaped Meltokio from the crazed mobs.

"They are with me. I guided them here to bring them to the village for safety. Sheena Fujibayashi, apprentice of the vice-chief Tiga. I haven't been gone that long, have I guys?" the summoner spoke up finally, trying to disarm the situation.

"Sheena?" A deep voice rang out from the shadows, and Sheena turned to meet it, recognizing the owner. "Orochi!" She exclaimed as the figure of Orochi emerged from the darkness, lowering his face mask to reveal his face. At this, the rest of the shinobi relaxed, seeing as their leader recognized who the guide was. "I thought it was you leading them through here. You ran into some trouble earlier from what we witnessed." Orochi stated.

"The forest's always been filled with dangerous monsters. We had it handled, no problem." Sheena stated before looking around at the rest of the assembled men. "Why exactly are you all here for? Most patrols consist of only two to three men, but I count eight of you here. Is there something I should know?"

Orochi's eyes narrowed as he answered. "Let's just say something's changed. I can't explain it here. Why don't we head back to the village for now, to get you and your friends out of harm's way?" he suggested.

The group looked at each other before agreeing. "That's fine by us. Strength in numbers, I say." Lloyd said as he began to walk down the path he knew to be Mizuho's route. Before he could get far, Orochi held up a hand, causing him to pause.

"I'm afraid that for safety's sake, I'll have to ask you to let me lead. We know of a safe route to get to the village than the path you had planned to take." Lloyd quirked an eyebrow at this, but let it slide for now. "Also, when we arrive at the village, I'll have to ask you to hand over your weapons before entering. We prefer to keep a peaceful air in Mizuho, and strangers will disturb that peace plenty enough. I don't want our civilians being afraid of you for carrying weaponry."

Lloyd felt somewhat strange about this, since before he hadn't been asked to hand over his swords. But he knew to trust Orochi from his past experience with him. He was knowledgeable, and very wise. He was the one who had informed Lloyd of how to make things right again for Sheena and Kuchinawa, as well as help them to get the Rheairds when they had to save Colette. He could count on Orochi to do the right thing. "Alright then, if that's what you want. We'll cooperate." Lloyd said.

Orochi nodded, pleased with his answer. "Then follow us. This way." He motioned towards a path into the brush, one less touched and hidden by the foliage around it. The group filed in close together, with the shinobi surrounding them as a unit. It was secure, but Lloyd was curious as to why they would need to go out in such numbers. Neither Orochi nor Sheena in the past had mentioned any real threats to Mizuho before, though it is possible that they kept quiet about it to preserve secrecy for the village.

Looking to Sheena, Lloyd could tell she was somewhat confused as well. This was unexpected for her, as she didn't know what could cause this to happen either. She glanced at Lloyd and raised an eyebrow, as if to get an answer from him. Lloyd shook his head but smiled to reassure her. They would get their answers soon enough.

* * *

**Border of Mizuho-late afternoon**

The group and their escorts arrived safely at the village's gates, the sun beginning to set on the horizon. They had no more trouble from any of the forest's denizens, but Lloyd and Sheena both recognized that the path they were taking was far different than the normal route. They made several turns and loops that pushed them further away from Mizuho before coming back around in its direction. Lloyd had pondered what could cause the shinobi of Mizuho to take such caution, but knew better than to ask right now. They didn't know him, nor do they likely trust him. To come out and ask for answers would as soon invite death by a cold knife.

Looking to the group beside him, Lloyd perceived mixed emotions from each of his friends. Raine and Genis looked somewhat nervous, their eyes looking back and forth to each other and to the shinobi surrounding them. Colette kept her appearance calm and cheery, though Lloyd noticed her steps were stiffened. She was on guard in case of trouble. Zelos' was focused on looking forward, taking the situation seriously for once. Kratos was the only one who really seemed relaxed at all. Though he walked naturally, his eyes were unfocused. He was thinking, which to Lloyd was a good sign. If he had been serious, Lloyd would have felt more troubled.

Orochi lead the group to the gates of the village before stopping and turning to face them. He looked them over before allowing a small smile to show. "I thank you for your cooperation, travelers. Now then, as per our agreement, please hand over your weapons for us to hold onto, until after you meet with our vice-chief. If you would, please." He held out his hand in an open gesture in front of Lloyd, who looked him in the eye before reaching down to detach his swords from their clips. The swordsman held them up and laid them in Orochi's hands.

The rest of the group followed Lloyd's example, with Kratos being the last to hand over his sword and shield. "Again, thank you. Please follow me. Oh, and welcome to Mizuho." Orochi said as they entered the village.

Lloyd took in the sights of the humble community, flashbacking to how he witnessed it before his first time through. Many of the houses were constructed from wood and clay, with paper sliding windows that were open during the day. The roads were simple dirt paths with small rocks placed in different patterns to signify different ways. A small river flowed through the village, providing the sound of softly churning water that echoed as they walked. It pooled at several points throughout the community, where people could observe it or use the water for washing if need be. From the viewpoint of the gate, the village seemed larger than what Lloyd had remembered, but he chalked it up to being away for so long.

Several villagers had been out when they had arrived, and stood aside for the group as they were led to the vice-chief's residence. They looked on in earnest curiosity, as strangers were very rare in Mizuho. Lloyd took note of their appearance, the women wearing a sort of formal dress that appeared much like a robe, but with carefully made designs like flower petals or spiritual symbols that had been sown into the design (**2**). They wore simple sandals made from crafted wood that clopped as they walked to move out of the way. Meeting one woman's eyes, she blushed and looked away, but kept looking back towards them. The men wore a similar type of clothing, though their robe was a various shade of blue that only reached to their waist, with brown or black cloth pants completing their look.

'_It certainly looks the same as the Mizuho from before…which is a relief. I was half afraid that the village would be in a far worse state compared to how the rest of the world has been altered.'_ Lloyd thought to himself as they approached the vice-chief's residence, centered in the middle square of the community. It was detailed more than the other residences of the village, no doubt thanks to the vice-chief's position. Two guards stood posted outside the door, both turning to look towards the party approaching them. They saluted Orochi as he stopped and acknowledged them before turning to the group again.

"I must ask you all to remain here while Sheena and I speak with the vice-chief. He will decide what to do in this situation, though I will admit to you I expect him to favor you, as you are friends of Sheena's. Excuse us." He bowed before he and Sheena vanished into the house, leaving the rest of the group to wait. They relocated to the village square, a large open space where many of their merchants held open their shops. A few of them tried to peddle to the group, but they carried nothing that they immediately desired or needed. Lloyd sighed and opted for sitting himself on the ground finally, his legs crossed. "Well, now what do we do? Do you think that they'll permit us to be here?" Genis asked.

"I hope that they do. I don't feel like having to go back into the forest again, especially with all the beasts still roaming around in there." Zelos stated, leaning against one of the many trees that were placed in the square. He fiddled with a twig in between his fingers as he looked around them, his eyes having a distant look.

"It can go either way for us. On one hand, they can choose to value Sheena's word, along with our cooperation earlier, and allow us to be here. That's if they choose to be fair to us. On the other hand, they can easily decide to have us leave the village, fearing for their safety and security at the idea of strangers like us knowing where the village is. If he thinks of us as a possible threat, he could even try to have us taken out before we make it to the forest." Raine deduced for them all.

The thought of Tiga wanting to harm Lloyd and his friends sent a shiver through the swordsman's body. He hadn't thought of it as a possibility, but it was naïve of him not to consider it. This was a hidden village, a secret place where some of the most skilled assassins and fighters were trained and sent out from. To kill off strangers who had wandered just a bit too far into their territory wasn't far-fetched in the slightest. Lloyd took a breath and calmed himself.

"I don't feel that we'll be kicked out or harmed here. If they had wanted to hurt us, I'd think they would've done it long before getting us even close to the village. Let's just keep calm and relax, ok?" he said as he rolled his neck to relieve some tension.

"Well, I do hope they allow us to stay here. After all, how many can say they get to see the famous hidden village of Mizuho? And on top of that, the many hidden treats within said village!" Zelos snickered, drawing Lloyd's attention. "What are you talking about, Zelos?"

"Why, the mythical Mizuho hot springs of course!" Zelos answered with hearts in his eyes as his mind took him into a perverted fantasy. "The absolute bliss of the local springs heated and maintained for hours on end with only the freshest of water, and best of all, a chance to see some glorious beautiful women!" By the end he was drooling, causing everyone to sweatdrop at the sight.

"Right…we'll just leave you to that, then." Lloyd stated before choosing to zone out for awhile, leaving Zelos to his imagination. '_Hot springs do sound nice…if we even got the chance to use them. Wait a minute…' _Lloyd suddenly flashbacked to his last encounter with hot springs, where a certain red-headed chosen had gotten him into trouble with the females of the group. '_No way am I letting that happen again! One beating was enough! And who knew Sheena could hit that hard?' _He decided that in that instance, it would be best to make sure the Chosen was nowhere near the hot springs when he chose to use them, to avoid another repeat encounter.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the appearance of Orochi, emerging from the vice-chief's house and walking towards them. "Is it our turn to speak to the vice-chief now?" Genis questioned from his side.

Orochi nodded and motioned for them to follow. Before they entered, he requested they speak with respect to the vice-chief, and to please remove their shoes at the door. Once they did so, they walked across the house to the large meeting room, where the vice-chief was awaiting them with Sheena sitting beside him. Lloyd recognized Tiga right away, seeing that he still resembled his same self as before. "Welcome, strangers. Please, have a seat." Tiga motioned before him, and the group spread themselves out to get comfortable.

"Now then, the reason I've asked you to come here to speak, is to help me confirm a few details that my subordinate, Sheena, told me. Which one of you is Lloyd?" Tiga asked to which Lloyd raised his hand and caused Tiga to turn to him, a serious gleam in his eyes. "So I see. I would like to ask that you tell me the story of your journey here, beginning from your incident at the Tower of Salvation in Sylvarant."

"How much do you want to know?" Lloyd questioned. In response, Tiga laughed before replying. "There's little I do not know about this world and yours, Lloyd. But pretend for me that I know only the rough sketch of the tale. Now, if you would please." So Lloyd began talking, weaving the tale of the group's arrival at the Tower, their plan to protect Colette, the truth behind Cruxis, and the battle with Dark Lloyd. He continued through the aftermath of the battle, their arrival in Tethe'alla, and their witnessing of the Pope being crowned king of Meltokio. Throughout the entire story, Tiga's eyes never left Lloyd's; giving him the impression that Tiga was judging him for honesty.

"…so we left Meltokio and made our way to the forest, where we were found by one of your patrols, which brought us to here." Lloyd finished finally, some 30 odd minutes later. His throat was a little dry, but as if by magic, an attendant stepped forward and offered a small drink of water, which Lloyd took gladly. Tiga sat back and thought over Lloyd's words, keeping the group in suspense as they watched him. He finally opened his eyes and looked over them all before speaking.

"I have seen and heard many things in my lifetime as both a shinobi and vice-chief of Mizuho. I have witnessed countless battles from attacking enemies, fought secret wars in the shadows of deception and assassination. I have even witnessed the full wrath of a Summon Spirit let loose upon the world, in part caused by my own actions." Lloyd noticed Sheena wince at this, but turned back to Tiga as he continued. "Had it not been for Sheena's presence here, and her very strong defense of your actions in coming here, you would likely have been cast out from here as liars, or even as spies. Needless to say, you wouldn't get far." Lloyd held his breath as he waited for Tiga to continue.

"However…your eyes and your words reveal true honesty and Sheena as well provided more than enough evidence for me to believe you are trustworthy. Therefore, I will permit you to be here, for the time being." He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the group, causing them to relax a little. "I feel I should explain why we have become so secretive, not to just our location, but in our guarding of our people."

"You see, when King Tethe'alla was still in power, we shared a mutual relationship between my village and his kingdom. We worked together to protect the people, as well as enforce the law and defend against anyone who saw fit to try and harm us. There was trust and compassion between us, and at one point, we had even considered becoming more open to the public as a sign of trust. However...thing's changed, and quickly, with the king's passing." Tiga sighed and his eyes became downcast.

"As I'm sure you saw, many of the people of Meltokio do not know what could have caused the king to pass on like he did, be it by illness or poison, whatever have you. But because of the Pope's agenda for power, he has cast a shadow on Meltokio and Mizuho's relationship. Many believe that we have something to do with the death of the king, that we sent an assassin to fulfill a part of our own agenda. You can imagine my surprise when the accusation first came about."

Lloyd nodded and chose to speak for his own group. "When we there in the city, to pay our respects to the king, we were forced to run because the mobs were overrunning the entire city. The Pope had them all focused on blaming half-elves, and because Raine and Genis were with us, we were targeted as soon as we were found." He stated, causing Tiga to glance at the brother and sister, who both nodded, frowning at the sad truth.

"I see. Then it is obvious that the real truth of the matter lies in the shadows of the King's death, and the Pope is seeking to take advantage of that confusion for his own gain, seizing power over the entire kingdom. As of right now, I have recalled all members of Mizuho's forces, in order to try and figure out how to respond to this situation. It grows more and more delicate by the day, and I wouldn't be surprised if before long, the Pope tries to force us out of hiding."

Raine raised her hand, to which Tiga nodded to allow her to speak. "We discussed it after we had fled the city to safety, and we came to the conclusion that the Pope may be involved with the King's death, though by what means exactly, we can't say for sure. We have Zelos, the Chosen One with us, who told us of his suspicions about the Pope, as well as his actions of late involving the kingdom."

Tiga turned to the said Chosen, who nodded at Raine's words. "It's as the lady says, vice-chief. I've witnessed enough activity from the Pope to give me reason to not even set foot into the kingdom unless it was to remove him from power. Not to mention my status as being revoked for opposing the Pope openly."

"Then it has truly fallen to madness if even the Chosen One is sacrificed for that madman. I sometimes wonder if it's even worth trying to help this world anymore, in the chaotic state it's become." Tiga sighed. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose to relieve a little of the stress and worry he'd been feeling lately.

"We realize that there is little to go on at the moment. We were hoping that perhaps we could help each other to solve this matter, cooperate in order to bring back the peace and restore order to the kingdom. We know that we have only testimony at the moment, but by working together, we could acquire the evidence we need to remove the Pope from power." Kratos suggested. "As much as we'd like to try it on our own, it's too much to try alone. We would need your help to achieve this."

Tiga hummed in thought as he closed his eyes. The offer was generous, if strange. Travelers from another world, appearing in his village and speaking of hidden plots and false angels, who now want to offer their help in trying to solve the King's death. It almost seemed to be too good to be true. But he knew that Sheena considered them to be trustworthy, and that was a feat of itself to gain her trust. Particularly the twin swordsman sitting across from him. '_He has a strong aura about him, and appears to be very skilled in his abilities, judging from Sheena's reports. But I still feel I need to test him…'_

"Your offer is generous, particularly for how you are still strangers to us. But I have an idea as to perhaps solve our situation, as well as prove how well I can trust you." Tiga cleared his throat before sending for one of his guards to find Orochi. "You see, there's been another problem that's been growing as of late, one that's been affecting our forces as well as our civilians." The group's interest was piqued now, and listened in as Tiga went on.

"The forest that you came from has always hidden dark and mysterious things within it, that much is known. However, it has never been a trouble to us, as we've kept any monster that emerged from there from coming near the village. However, my men have detected a new presence in the woods, something that was far darker than what they'd come across before. We've managed to avoid making it emerge, but as of late, it's grown. A few nights ago, it lashed out at one of our patrols." His eyes closed as he recalled the night.

* * *

**Flashback**

_ "Sir! Come quick, there's a situation at the front!" Tiga heard himself being called for from within his home. He had been on his way to an early rest, but it looks like such would not happen tonight._

_ "Lead the way." He replied as he followed behind the young fighter, making his way through the village as fast as he could. When he reached the gate, he could hardly believe what he saw._

_ Blood. Enormous piles of blood._

_ Several of his men were on the ground, some missing limbs with others having large chunks of their flesh missing. Still more were either charred or showing signs of being electrocuted, their muscles convulsing every few seconds. "Martel…what happened? What caused this?" Tiga whispered._

_ One of the men who seemed relatively unscathed approached him, holding his arm to prevent it from swinging. It was bent at an odd angle, likely broken. "Vice-chief…we stood no chance sir. We barely escaped as we are now. Whatever that monster is, sir, we cannot hope to overcome it. One moment, all was quiet, the next, it was upon us before we could think." His legs gave out before he could add more, causing Tiga to catch him before laying him onto the ground._

_ "Can you describe this beast for me? Anything at all?" he asked quietly. He urged for the medics to work quickly, to try and salvage what they could of the patrol's members. At Tiga's words, the shinobi seemed to regain his fervor, grasping for him as if it was the only thing to keep him alive._

_ "It was no beast of this world, sir. It was…a demon…" he muttered before unconsciousness took him away. Tiga took this information and knew that no good would come of it. "Bring these men into the village, and seal the gates! Nobody goes in or out of the village until I say so! Orochi!" the so-named shinobi appeared at his call. "Lead a patrol with our best men around the village's borders! Make sure that nothing else tries to approach us. If anything does, kill it on sight! Now go!" Orochi vanished, leaving Tiga to try and understand what just occurred tonight._

* * *

**End Flashback**

"When we had managed to save the warriors who had survived from perishing, they all told me the same thing. A dark demon, a monster with immense power that has taken residence within the forest. They told me that it only pursued them to a certain point within the Forest before stopping, though why they did not know." Tiga finished, the group now feeling ominous about entering the forest again with such a being within it.

Kratos was the first to speak up to break the silence. "I remember, during our travel through the forest…I sensed a faint but noticeable presence there. It didn't move towards us or acknowledge us, but I could feel it. It wasn't natural at all." He stated.

Lloyd took in all that he heard and narrowed down the possible suspects that he knew were around here. '_There's no denying it…its come back again…The Sword Dancer.' _He had hoped that somehow, the monster would fade away, but it was strong enough to persevere, as it had done before.

"I want to see how strong you are, and this is the best way I know to test you. Go out to Gaoracchia Forest, find this demon that attacked my people, and defeat it. If you can achieve this, you will have my full support, as well as my village." Tiga laid out his offer for them to consider, finally. He hoped that they would be willing to undertake the task; he was worried for the well-being of his villagers, his family. If they could eliminate the danger, they would truly be in the group's debt.

Lloyd looked around him at the rest of the group before making a decision. "We'll do it." He said, drawing the group's attention and Tiga's approval. "Whatever it is that has attacked your village, we'll find it and put an end to its existence. You can count on it."

Tiga nodded and Lloyd stood up to exit when Tiga spoke up. "There is one condition to go with your acceptance." His eyes hardened and focused on Lloyd specifically to watch his reaction. "You will face this enemy…but not with Sheena. She will remain here at the village." He stated gravely.

Lloyd's mood almost went a complete 180 degree turn. "Excuse me?" He asked, not believing what he heard from Tiga. "You heard me. You will face your challenge without Sheena's assistance. I need her here with me, for another purpose that I'm afraid I can't reveal to you." Tiga answered, not budging from his seat. He wanted to see how the swordsman would react to this stipulation, if not to see how he could handle a more difficult battle, to see if he can perceive Lloyd's feelings toward Sheena.

Lloyd's hands curled into fists as he controlled himself from lashing out. "If there's some way that we've wronged you, or that we've caused Sheena to be in trouble for something we've done, do not take it out on her. You can place your punishment on me instead." The swordsman stated calmly. Sheena's words of her past with the village and how hard she had it were running through his ears. The last thing he wanted was to abandon one of his most precious people in his life, not for anyone or anything.

"It is not a matter of someone having done wrong, or if I blame one of you for an action outside of this village. This is my request, and I will not budge from it. Do you still accept it?" the vice-chief asked. Lloyd and the vice-chief stared each other down, neither moving from each other's spot. The rest of the group was nervous, afraid that the two may break out into a fight over such a matter. Kratos understood why his son was so bothered by the request, but knew better than to step in to back him up. This was a personal test for Lloyd.

"Give me your word Sheena will be safe here, and that no one will harm her or seek her out." Lloyd all but demanded.

"You have a lot of spunk to ask something like that of me, the vice-chief of Mizuho. Do you think you have the muscle to back it up?" Tiga questioned, even though he already knew the answer.

"Either take it or leave it. Do what you will to me. I will not let one of my closest friends and precious people be harmed if I can prevent it." Lloyd fired right back.

Tiga stared him down for another minute more before smiling a wide grin. "You definitely have a fire within your spirit, Lloyd. I admire and respect that. I give you my word as vice-chief." He finally relented, getting a nod from Lloyd. "You will set out tomorrow in the morning. It would be foolish to try to find the monster tonight. Relax and enjoy what the village has to offer. If you have any questions, you know where to find me." He turned to Sheena who had watched the entire discussion play out before her with wide eyes at Lloyd's declaration of wanting to protect her. "Sheena, you are dismissed as well. Accompany our guests and show them around the village."

Sheena nodded and got up to follow after the group, not noticing Tiga's small smile as he watched the person he considered to be his own daughter go after them. '_Treat her well, Lloyd…or so help me, I will end your life and your line myself.'_

Outside, Lloyd suddenly felt a cold shiver pass through him, feeling as if someone had just walked across his grave. He forgot about the feeling as soon as Sheena rejoined the group, taking a quick moment to hug Lloyd for defending her before speaking. "Well, now that that's settled, how about I give you all a real tour of my home?" she asked. Soon enough, Sheena was leading them through the village's various sections, and though few noticed it, she seemed happier than ever when Lloyd was close by.

* * *

**That evening**

"Whew…I needed this for sure." Genis sighed as he soaked in the hot water pool. After giving the group a tour of the village, and time passing well into the night, Sheena recommended that they all take time to stop by the village's hot springs, to unwind and grant them all some peace to enjoy while they still could. After shedding their clothes and donning their towels, they entered their gender-specified sections. A large wooden wall acted as a divider between the male side of the pool and the female, with just enough space above to allow for ventilation so neither side would get too hot.

The guys had found themselves immensely enjoying the relaxing waters, each taking up their own little spot within the pool. They had it to themselves, fortunately, as the rest of the village had decided to leave them be as they were the guests of the vice-chief. "Indeed. It's not very often one gets to savor a relaxing treat like this. It's been quite some time for me since I last visited a hot spring." Kratos commented.

"You got that right. We didn't have anything like this in Iselia. The closest thing you could get was to heat up your own water, and that didn't last too long before it went cold or you accidentally cooked yourself." Lloyd added in. There was silence for a moment as Lloyd waited for Zelos to add in his thoughts, but was met with silence. Lloyd cocked open one closed eye and nearly face-planted into the water. Zelos had taken the liberty of trying to find a hole in the wooden wall, moving every few seconds to different parts of the wooden barrier to try and peek through.

'_Sheena, Raine and Colette all on the other side, naked as can be! It is too great a challenge to ignore! I will see them!' _Zelos thought to himself as his inner pervert drove him onwards. Just when he thought he'd found a hole to peek through, he found the body of one Lloyd Irving standing in the way. "Uh…something I can help you with, bud?" Zelos asked timidly.

Lloyd felt an anger tick appear on his head as he looked at the red-headed Chosen. "Why yes, Zelos. You can start by telling me what you're doing over here at the wall divider, trying to peek into the girls' side."

"Lloyd, buddy, pal! You gotta understand, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! When else would I ever get a chance to be witness to such figures of beauty, such pillars of feminine wonder! It is impossible to not try and see! You understand, right?" Zelos exclaimed.

Lloyd pondered for a moment the consequences of Zelos' death, and how it might affect the future. He considered it for quite a long time, in fact. Enough so that Zelos was considering fleeing at the sight of the maniacal grin that was growing on Lloyd's face. "Um…bud?" Zelos asked, pulling Lloyd from his daydreaming.

"Zelos, for your own safety and health, it would be wise to not try and peek on the girls next to us. I don't believe I could restrain Lloyd from harming you…if I wanted to, for that matter." Kratos added in from his corner. Zelos took this advice and thought over it for a time. "Beautiful naked wet women…the wrath of Lloyd…naked women…Lloyd…" he pondered aloud. Lloyd sweat-dropped at the mental debate taking place before him.

"Here, let me decide for you." Lloyd said as he picked up one of the cool buckets of water meant to keep the temperature from going too high. It was imported water, brought in from Flanoir and rumored to be fetched from Celsius' own pool. Lloyd threw the bucket's contents right at Zelos, which upon contact, caused him to immediately leap into the water to try and warm up. However, the reaction of going from intense cold to intense heat meant that the water's temperature was immensely amplified, making Zelos yelp in pain. He growled and launched another bucket at Lloyd, who swiftly dodged it and watched it spill its contents onto Kratos, whose quiet enjoyment turned to displeasure. He opened his eyes and glared at the two, with Lloyd taking the initiative and pointing at Zelos. "He did it!" He exclaimed quickly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Sheena, Raine, and Colette were all relaxing and washing up, enjoying the springs' healing effects on their muscles and making small talk as they went. "Sheena, do you know why the vice-chief asked you to stay behind?" Colette asked at one point. She had felt a sisterly bond with the summoner, and was worried for her, as she does for all her friends.

Sheena shook her head in the negative as she scrubbed her hair. "I can't say that I do. If I had caused some sort of trouble, I would know by now. Who knows what it could be?" She rinsed out the suds from her hair and turned to the blond Chosen. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"Lloyd certainly seemed ready to fight when Tiga mentioned that stipulation. I've hardly ever seen him get angry like that, and I've been teaching him since he was a child!" Raine commented as she relaxed against one of the rocks that made up the wall of the hot springs pool. "Though saying such a thing must make me sound old…"

"No way, Professor, you're not old! You look as young as Sheena does! And you've got such a great figure going for you too!" Colette exclaimed before looking down at her lean, towel-clad form. "I wish I was more developed…I keep waiting for my own body to catch up."

"Nonsense, Colette, you have plenty of time to still grow up and develop. I'm sure you're going to grow into a beautiful young woman." Raine said.

"Yeah, it just takes time for you to properly grow. Though take my word when it's not always the best thing in the world." Sheena said as she stretched, her formidable…assets moving with her. Colette caught sight of said movement and sighed. "You're lucky, Sheena. You've already grown up!" Colette giggled.

They all shared a laugh when they then heard Zelos' yelp of pain from the mixing of water. "They can't see us, right?" Colette asked the summoner.

"No, they can't, don't worry. Besides, I think judging by that scream, Lloyd and the others will keep Zelos from doing anything perverted." Sheena replied. She had filled in the two women about the Tethe'allan Chosen's perverted nature, giving them the heads up for when he tried to make a move on them. '_Though I don't guess I would mind Lloyd so much as the rest…wait, what am I saying?'_Sheena thought to herself, a blush storming her face as she turned away from the one thing keeping her from seeing her crush's body.

Colette took note of Sheena's face and said, "Sheena, I think you need to lay off the hot water. Your face is all red!" This only served to intensify her blush, as she tried to hide it by holding a washrag up to her face.

"Maybe we shouldn't be concerned about Zelos being the only pervert in our group?" Raine joked, causing Sheena to respond by splashing her with a wave of water. "Oh, I know you didn't just do that." She stated as she eyed the summoner.

"And if I did? What are you gonna do, oh mighty Professor?" Sheena replied, sticking her tongue out at the half-elf. Raine considered her options before going with a logical conclusion in her mind: she tackled Sheena and the two began to play wrestle, much to Colette's amusement as she watched.

* * *

**I wanted to give an incantation to the Ray spell, since what she usually yells is just "Light!"**

**Basic Kimono design, though I couldn't quite be very descriptive with them. It's just your basic run-of-the-mill design, what you would see in the game.**

**And it's finally done! Yes, this chapter was mostly filler, but it was necessary to get it moving, once again. I did enjoy writing the bit with the hot springs though, as well as expanding the village. In the game, the village is so small; you hardly see any purpose in spending time there. So, I decided to expand it for the sake of the story, as well as making it seem more sensible of a place to live. Where could a village full of people live at in a place with one, maybe two buildings in the game?**

**Next chapter will definitely be more action oriented, as we witness the group facing off with the infamous Sword Dancer once again! It will also be a good refresher for combat writing for me. I miss it very much, and I'm glad to finally be able to bring it back, especially with such a great boss fight!**

**Read and Review please! Your reviews give me inspiration to continue working!**


	30. Chapter 30

*Infinite Freedom is shown to be relaxing at his own home, watching T.V. The program goes to commercial and he decides to go and grab himself a snack. On the way to the kitchen, he hears rustling, but disregards it as just the house. Upon opening his cupboard however, he finds not food, but a stuffed in Raenef, holding a stack of papers.*

I.F: …What exactly are you doing in my cupboard? *thinks for a moment* How did you get in there for that matter?

Raenef: No time, no time! Here! *hands the next chapter of Second Chance to him*

I.F: Ok, explain. Before I decide to test out my new weapons license.

Raenef: I'm hiding from the angry fans that were waiting so long for me to update the story. I feel that if they don't see me do the update, they will forget the fact it was late.

I.F: *mulls it over a moment before accepting it* Alright then, I'll take that. But don't do it again. Call first.

*Raenef salutes before shutting the cupboard door as I.F uploads the next chapter*

I.F: Wait…if he was in there…where did the food go?

* * *

**Hello, all! Yes, this chapter is late, but I can explain! Put down the weapons!**

**You see, I was working on the new chapter at a good pace, but something felt wrong about the whole fight scene I had set up originally. I was afraid of it being too similar to how the fight usually goes when you encounter the Sword Dancer a second time, so I had to revamp my idea some. That said, I can now say that this will definitely go differently than before, and it will be a fight the likes of which you will definitely remember!**

**That said, on with the show! Enjoy!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

The next morning had dawned, and with it, the group also arose from their rest. They put aside their worry for the task ahead for the time being and soaked up the peace that flowed through Mizuho. Having food brought to them from one of the merchant's under Tiga's orders, Lloyd took stock of everyone's moods concerning the situation. In the beginning,-Lloyd caught himself in mid-thought-the first time he had gone through the journey; the encounter with the Sword Dancer had been on complete accident when they found him in the forest. They had entered the forest to try and do a little training after stopping by Mizuho for supplies on their way to Ozette, when Genis had gotten lost and away from the group.

At first, they had thought he had only wandered a little too far, but soon were corrected when the mage came barreling down the path, and had brought horrors with him. They fought and triumphed in the end, but now Lloyd was wary of the fight to come. His sense as a swordsman and fighter told him that a great challenge was before him, and he was expected to overcome it. He chewed on a piece of bread while looking over the rest of the group.

Kratos was as steady as ever, eyes closed in thought as he mulled over his food. He was fully dressed and ready for combat, his shield and sword in their place at his side. Genis was eating carefully as his sister was right next to him to reprimand him for bad manners in front of new people, namely the citizens of Mizuho. Colette was smiling, bubbly as ever as she chatted with Genis between mouthfuls. When he glanced to Sheena, however, he noticed that she was somewhat subdued in her actions. Her eyes and thoughts were far away, and Lloyd had a good suspicion of what she had on her mind.

Soon after eating, Orochi appeared and informed them that they had their patrol unit ready to lead them to the determined location of the monster. Lloyd nodded and the group quickly finished eating and gathered their gear to meet the patrol at the gates. While everyone was getting ready, Lloyd pulled Sheena aside and asked to speak to her in private. Heading outside and away from their quarters, Sheena finally turned to Lloyd and asked, "What is it, Lloyd? Is something the matter?"

Lloyd raised an eyebrow and met Sheena's gaze. "I could ask you the same thing."

Sheena felt her stomach flutter at meeting his eyes and looked down at her toes. "I…I'm just worried, is all. I want to go with you, but if Tiga says I can't, then I can't. I hope you can forgive me."

Lloyd shook his head and raised his hand to rest on her shoulder to comfort her. Sheena looked up at Lloyd at his touch to see him smiling at her. Her face tinged pink as she could almost feel the warmth from Lloyd passing through to her. "There's nothing to forgive, since you've done nothing wrong. And don't worry, we'll be alright. I've faced this once before, I can do it again." He stated. The fact he could say it with such confidence helped her spirits some.

"You always do seem to know what to do, Lloyd." She complimented him, causing Lloyd to grin and scratch the back of his head. "While you're doing that, I'll be here waiting for you to come back. So you better come back and in one piece too!"

Lloyd nodded. "You can count on it." Sheena watched him turn to go before a sudden thought entered her head. "Lloyd, wait!" The swordsman turned back to look at her and raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Sheena?"

Sheena looked around her quickly for any spying eyes (especially in a village like Mizuho) and suddenly rushed forward and gave Lloyd a brief but chaste kiss on the lips. Lloyd stood there surprised and couldn't even react until she moved back away. "For luck!" the summoner said as she left to go back to the village, her smile wide and a large blush adorning her features. Lloyd blushed but smiled to himself as he made his way back to the group.

"Are we all set to go?" he asked to everyone, looking them all over. They all turned to him and nodded with their weapons in hand at the ready for anything. "Good. Now, remember. We don't know exactly what we're getting into here. If you see anything suspicious, or feel like something's coming our way, say so. Be on your guard." With that, he nodded to Orochi, who had been delegated to lead the patrol group.

"Once we reach the border of where the demon's made his domain, we'll leave it to you. When you do complete your task and defeat it, we will find you and bring you back to the village." Orochi's eyes hardened with his next words. "Should you run or flee, know that you will not be welcome in Mizuho ever again. To fight an opponent to protect your home is honorable, but to flee because you fear the challenge does you dishonor. And I will not stand for that."

Lloyd nodded in understanding. '_So no running once the battle starts. They really are testing us.'_ He gripped his sword handles and met Orochi's gaze. The shinobi nodded and ordered the patrol to move out, Lloyd's group following close behind.

Behind them, back in the village, Sheena watched as they left the main gate, and entered the forest. She prayed to Martel for Lloyd's safe return, as well as that of the rest of her friends, even that perverted Chosen. A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts, and Sheena turned to face Tiga, who smiled comfortingly. "They will return. There is strength in them, particularly in the swordsman, Lloyd. Of this, I have no doubt. Now, come, Sheena. We have private matters to discuss."

* * *

**Inside the Forest**

"Geez, just how deep in is this thing? Almost makes it too troublesome to find…" Zelos whined as the group trudged onwards. They had been walking for upwards of a half hour now, their sight surrounded by trees and brush as far as they could see. Well, as far as the normal folk could see. Kratos and Colette could see well beyond the forest's border, thanks to their innate angelic abilities.

"Don't you start, Zelos. We're doing this for the good of Mizuho and for Sheena too. We have to prove to them they can trust us." Raine chastised him, causing the Chosen to let out a pathetic whine. "Think of it this way. You're proving to the world that the Chosen is a good and virtuous man, or would you rather prefer that the Pope be proven right about how you're a bad Chosen?"

Zelos immediately puffed out his chest at this. "Nonsense! The great Zelos Wilder is a strong and courageous man! He would dare the greatest perils for the sake of his friends and people!" He leered at Raine before adding, "Especially for the cute hunnies who adore me," he snickered.

Raine shook her head and let the Chosen daydream of returning home triumphant to his scores of female fans. She instead turned to one of her students, Colette, for some proper conversation. "How do you feel so far about Tethe'alla, Colette? Has anything you seen stood out for you?"

The blond Chosen put a finger to her chin in thought, a cute expression for the innocent girl. "Well, I would say for sure that all the different people and buildings stand out. They're so advanced compared to how I was used to seeing things like in Iselia or in our books on Palmacosta."

"Indeed. If I had the opportunity to study them, I bet I could find many differences between the two. It's astounding to think how much change can occur between two different worlds, even if they are linked together." Raine imagined in her mind all the innovations she had witnessed so far, such as the massive bridge they had passed on their flight from Meltokio, or all the magitetechnology within the Renegade's base. Oh, if only to get her hands on it for research!

"There's just one thing that's bothered me so far, though. I can't seem to shake it off." Colette interrupted her thoughts, making Raine turn to her. "And what might that be?"

"There are no dogs here! I've yet to come across one cute puppy! Oh, and I've thought up so many good names for them too! Like Rupert and Gina and Bart and Samantha and…" she trailed onwards with her list of names, the Professor sweat dropping at how much thought the teen had put to the idea.

Up ahead, Lloyd and Kratos were both walking quietly, neither saying anything, yet content in the silence. Kratos decided to break the quiet and asked, "Lloyd, may I ask you a question?"

"You just did. Would you like to ask another?" his son cheekily answered. He ducked under the incoming slap to the back of the head. "What is it, Kratos?"

"I wanted to know something. Is this…something you've done before?" He added quietly. Lloyd made sure the rest of the group was out of earshot before answering. "We have done this before, and we came out just fine. A bit shaken, maybe, but fine. It won't be a simple fight though. Remember our encounter with the Sword Dancer back in Sylvarant?"

Kratos nodded, remembering how close a call the battle had been, as well as Lloyd's triumphant victory. "Indeed I do. Should I expect something similar to it?"

Lloyd nodded, looking around himself at the forest. "If by similar, you mean something 5 times faster and stronger, then yes, something similar."

Kratos took this into account and narrowed his eyes. He knew how to read his son's words, and what he meant by the implications. "Will I need to go all out?"

"Not likely. When we encountered this before, you weren't with us at the time. You were off being Mr. Mystery agent, keeping us on our toes and knocking me off of mine every time I tried to challenge you."

The Seraphim had to smirk at that. "But of course I did. I am the stronger swordsman, after all. And as your father, someone had to teach you some manners. If not me, then who? Zelos?"

His son shuddered at the idea of Zelos as a father figure. "The day Zelos starts to act like a dad to me is the day I throw away my blades and become a priest. Two dads are enough. Three dads is just plain ridiculous!" Kratos permitted himself a small chuckle at this, as well as a smile. He always smiled when his son called him "dad", whether directly or indirectly.

"Why do you think they held Sheena back from coming with us? She could've been a great help here with her skills." Lloyd asked. Kratos had to put thought to it for a moment before answering.

"The most likely conclusion is that we are being tested to see how we act without any help from Mizuho. Whether we realize it or not, Sheena is a representative of Mizuho, in her actions and words. Tiga wants to see if we are a worthy ally and friend of being in arms with his village. Should we prove ourselves well enough, I'm sure he'll readily agree to help us." Lloyd nodded at this, his mind drifting back to Sheena, his face warming as he remembered the kiss she'd given him for luck. Kratos caught on to this, however, and decided for more fatherly teasing. "I see that you miss her already, Lloyd. Quite open with your feelings, you are."

Lloyd blushed and scratched his head as he looked away. "Well, I mean of course I do! Sheena's a good friend and very reliable, not to mention she's always respectful and listens to me."

Kratos nodded with his eyes closed, flashbacking to his time with Anna, and how he acted much like Lloyd did when asked about his relationship and feelings. "I'd say she misses you too, judging by that kiss she gave you before we left."

Lloyd swore under his breath and tried to glare at his father and mentor. "Don't you have better things to do than spy on me, dad?"

"Lloyd, I have been alive for 4,000 years, watching many families come and go, raise their sons and daughters, and pass on. I've only just been reunited with my own son after another 17 years on top of that waiting to see if you were still alive after losing you. Believe me when I say I only do this to make up for lost time between us." Kratos stated.

Lloyd smirked at his answer. "Yeah, and get your kicks out of seeing me squirm."

"Isn't that the fatherly thing to do?" The two looked at each other before laughing, enjoying the moment. It was cut short, however, when the patrol of Mizuho shinobi stopped moving. Orochi scanned around them before facing the group.

"We're here. This is where we leave you for now. Once your task is complete, return here, and we will guide you to safety. Remember; do not flee when you encounter this demon. I've seen him strike faster at a man running in terror than a fighter who stands against him." He looked to each of them before nodding. "Good luck…you're going to need it." With that Orochi vanished, along with the rest of the shinobi. It left Lloyd feeling slightly chilled at how cold the man was, but reminded himself that he was acting in the best interests of Mizuho. This was how he treated anyone who was an outsider to the village.

"Well, then…shall we begin?" Kratos broke the silence finally. Lloyd looked to his father and nodded in agreement. The group proceeded inwards, each doing their best to ignore the feeling of dread that overcame them.

* * *

**Inner reaches of Gaoracchia Forest**

It had been close to twenty minutes since Orochi had left the group to their task, and they found themselves well within the forest's innermost region. The sunlight they'd enjoyed on their way here was now hardly visible, with the foliage seemingly positioned to blot out the sky. Kratos had taken to using his Angelic sight at all times, not wanting to be caught unawares by an attacker from the dark. The group's relaxed formation had changed to one of a more effective shape in case of sudden attack: Lloyd and Kratos at the front, with Zelos and Colette in the back and Genis and Raine in the middle. Though not unprotected, the half-elves knew that they held the least physical ability.

"Anyone see anything yet?" Lloyd said. He kept his voice low, fearing an echo might alert their enemy. His hands were on his blades' hilts, not shaking but tensed, ready to act if needed.

"Nothing as of yet. I'm beginning to wonder if our target knows we're looking for it." Kratos' reply was short as he had extended his perception with his hearing. Every tree branch that moved, every leaf that blew was within his range. Yet nothing came out towards them. It was as if the forest's residents knew to stay back. It was something Kratos expected when he walked city streets or the halls of Derris-Kharlan, but not here. Something else was at work.

"Why has the forest gone so quiet? You would think that we would've run into at least some monsters looking for a meal." Genis looked to his sister for an answer.

The Professor's eyes narrowed as she kept her staff by her side. "I don't know, Genis. Normally, the creatures who reside within a forest's territory find they have free reign to move as they wish to, following the natural laws that govern their behavior. But there are times when that order, those laws, is circumnavigated by a particularly powerful being. And more and more, that seems to be the case here. Whatever is here is strong enough or has enough of a presence that all else avoids it." She paused in her explanation to see that Genis seemed less relieved and only worried more. She placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Relax, Genis. I could easily be wrong. There are plenty of other explanations that may be why it's so quiet."

After that, silence reigned over them until a few minutes later, when Colette suddenly stopped moving and gasped. Lloyd turned and was on immediate alert. "Colette? What is it?"

The blond Chosen seemed lost for words as she placed a hand over her heart before looking up at Lloyd. It took her a moment to compose herself before she could finally speak. "I…I feel it. It's near."

Lloyd and Kratos shared a glance. "You feel it?" Kratos repeated. Colette nodded and pointed to their left, towards a path where there sat no trees or brush of any kind. In fact, it looked as if it'd been cleared away by force. The trees that stood nearby it were bent at odd angles away from the path. It was as if the plants had wanted to remove themselves from whatever had come through there.

"Then that's where we go. Everyone stay close and be on your guard." Lloyd took charge and started down the path, beginning to draw his swords when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"It would be wise to not draw swords yet, Lloyd. For all we know, this creature could be expecting an attack up front. If we approach seeming unprepared, we may catch it unawares." The Seraphim suggested. Lloyd nodded and re-sheathed his blades and took a breath to calm his nerves. The group funneled into the path in a single file. A short while later, the group emerged from the path into a clearing that was barren of any plant-life, patches of bare earth visible between pockets of grass. This allowed sunlight to stream into the area, much to their surprise. The warmth was a brief comfort, but it was chilled when Colette gave a tiny whimper and pointed straight ahead. Lloyd looked ahead and felt a profound sense of dread overtake him.

Four various blades laid in various states on the ground surrounding a massive pile of dark blue bones. A skull lay atop the pile, with curved horns covering the upper portion and framing the face until it curved behind it in a tight loop. The wind died and was silent as the group took in the clearing and the pile of bones. "Is this it?" Zelos muttered. "I was expecting something a little more…frightening."

Before Lloyd could reprimand Zelos, a loud cackle emanated from the clearing. "_**Who enters my domain? Have more weak warriors come to prove their mortality? Show yourself!**_" The demand was forceful, and carried power with it. Birds flew away from their havens in the trees to seek safer holdings. Lloyd steeled himself and stepped forward into the clearing. Kratos thought to have him remain with them, but stayed back, wanting to see what unfolded.

"My friends and I are the ones who entered your domain, spirit. We have come here at the request of the village of Mizuho. Why are you here?" He answered the demon's challenge.

A deep rumble issued through the area before it spoke again. "_**You enter my domain, and demand why I am here? You're either brave or foolish, boy.**_" The bones rattled with the voice. "_**I made this place mine, for my entertainment and my existence alone. Anyone who challenges that, I will destroy without question. Are you one who has come to challenge me?**_"

"It's funny you mention destroying me, as we have met once before." Lloyd did his best to ignore the irony of his words. "In another place, but we have fought and we emerged victorious. Now you've returned and we stand on opposite sides again."

There was a great sigh that escaped from the bones, and the empty eye sockets became filled by an eerie red glow. "_**You…I remember you…the swordsman who defeated me once before. You summoned the strength of the light to your aid, and struck me down. Yes…**_" The voice had become less threatening, and the group felt as if they could relax slightly. It was akin to having a blade removed from your neck, but still being held in the hands of your captor. "_**How strange it is, to see you before me again…our battle was one to learn from, that is for certain. Have you come because I defeated those weaklings who intruded in my domain?**_"

Lloyd frowned at the Sword Dancer's disrespect towards the Mizuho shinobi. "Yes. However, know that they were not weaklings, as you call them. They were strong and loyal soldiers for their village. If anyone is at fault here, it is you for attacking them."

The tentative peace that had been felt by the group was replaced with a sudden rush of anger and terror as the demon roared in defiance. "_**Fault? You speak of fault to me, a demon of the highest power? You think that you can determine what is right and wrong, where justice ends and cruelty begins? I am ruled over by none, Swordsman. I bow to no man, woman, angel or demon. I rule my own existence, an existence defined by power, by strength and the power one wields. It is power that carved existence from chaos. It is power that created law. Power is everything and anything.**_"

Lloyd was surprised to hear the Sword Dancer speak this much to him willingly. It was as if he was dealing with an entirely new opponent. Smarter, intelligent…he felt a cold shiver go up his spine. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. "If no one holds rule over you, then why did you respond to the summons of that dark swordsman? Aren't you being a hypocrite to your own words?" Kratos had stepped forward and spoke now. He nodded to Lloyd, who nodded back.

"_**Ahhh…the ardent knight speaks now…yes, I know of who you speak. The one who wields the shadow sword…he did not so much as summon me as permit me to enter this world from Niflheim. I was wandering the endless fields of the fallen when a gateway opened before me, and I stepped through. What followed could be considered our first meeting.**_" He cackled, the bones shaking more in their mound.

"_**I must admit, Swordsman, I was impressed with your power. It's been so long since I've had a good challenge. Too long. Your triumph over me reminded me of what I was before: a terror of the battlefield, enemies fleeing from my path. And now, we meet again, on another battlefield, with spirits thriving and blades waiting to clash. I've waited long enough!**_" At this, the mound of bones erupted into the air and swirled around the clearing, the blades following them shortly after. The air whistled as the collected mass whirled in a large circle before collecting themselves and taking shape. First feet, then legs, followed by the torso and arms. A bony tail emerged behind the mass, connecting at the base of the skeletal spine and cracking with a sound akin to a whip. Each blade landed in an extended hand and was given a test swing before resting in a relaxed stance. Finally, the skull floated down and connected at the top of the spine, and let loose a roar of victory. The Sword Dancer had returned. "_**Come forth, Swordsman! Show me the power you wield!**_"

(**Music Cue: Mark Petrie- Celestial)**

Lloyd and co. tensed at his declaration and drew their weapons. "Get ready…" Lloyd instructed. He took a ready stance and bent at the knees, ready to dash for an opening when it opened. The Sword Dancer seemed to consider Lloyd's stance before one of his arms whipped forward, a hook blade slicing towards him to cut him in half. "SCATTER!" Lloyd yelled before jumping to his right. The rest of the group split left and right, clearing the path of the falling strike. It impaled the ground and tore the earth apart, dragging back and leaving a long gash on the ground as the Sword Dancer retrieved its blade. It roared again, and lumbered towards Lloyd's direction.

The dual swordsman took stock of what he had to work with. Raine and Kratos had dashed alongside him, and stood at the ready. "Be careful of its reach with those arms. It can be deceiving. Stay on the move, and if it tries to cast magic, drop what you're doing and run." Lloyd stated before dashing in to meet the Sword Dancer head on, Kratos in tow with Raine providing support. She muttered a quick chant before casting Sharpness on her student, who was surrounded by a red aura before it focused onto his arms and blades. Rushing forward, Lloyd ducked under a swing of a jagged-edged blade and thrust his own blade towards his opponent's thigh. Before it could connect, another sword met his and parried him away. Lloyd caught his balance and rolled out to avoid another slash.

Kratos appeared to the Sword Dancer's side and charged in with a Super Sonic Thrust, wind swirling around the blade to give him extra speed. His blade connected at the demon's bony hip, chipping it, but doing little effect. Undeterred, Kratos dodged a swipe aimed to knock him away and parried another blow. He slid his shield down his arm and pointed two fingers towards empty ribcage before him. "Fireball!" Kratos sacrificed some power for a quicker cast and launched the flames towards the Sword Dancer. They impacted, but served to only enrage the monster. He whirled and faced Kratos head on, and swung two blades at once towards him. Unable to dodge from so close, Kratos cast Guardian and caught both blows on the shielding aura. It held, but Kratos could feel the pressure from the blades weigh him down. '_He's definitely stronger than before. This fight may demand more of me than I expected.'_ His thoughts broke off as the aura faded, and Kratos leapt back to avoid being cut in two.

"Don't forget about us!" Turning to greet the challenge, the Sword Dancer was rewarded with a blast of Angel Feathers that hit him full force in his face. He stumbled from the blow, only to find his feet had somehow found a patch of ice, causing him to lose his footing and fall back with a thunderous crash. Dust was kicked up from the impact, and Genis and Colette gave a cheer for their small victory. "How do you like that?" Genis taunted. His confidence soon waned however, when the Sword Dancer's cackling laughter echoed out through the clearing.

"_**More…more…let me feel the rush of battle once again! Give me more!**_" the demon roared, and its bony tail whipped out from the dust and towards the pair. Genis ducked to the ground while Colette flew out of the way, her angel wings flapping rapidly. "Genis!" she yelled, and the mage rolled over to see the bony tip of the Sword Dancer's tail rushing towards him. His eyes widened, but found his vision obscured by Zelos' form. "Light Spear!" Zelos' sword gleamed and lashed out to meet the tail dead on, and deflected it away to impact into the ground with a loud thud. Zelos looked back to Genis and he grinned with a confident smile. "Better get back up, brat! I don't want to do all the work!" Genis formed an angry tick on his head and got back up, his kendama in hand.

"You showoff! I'll show you the way it's done!" Genis challenged him, but he forgot the boast as the Sword Dancer got back up and brandished his blades again. It flexed outwardly before bringing the four together, runes beginning to circle around it. Genis took only a moment before recognizing the school of magic that the demon was invoking. "Everyone, move! Now!" he yelled, getting everyone's attention. Lloyd felt the air become charged, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He rolled forward and kept his metal blades low to the ground. Not a moment later, a purple orb of electricity surged to life where he'd been standing. Lloyd did his best not to move, and soon the spell faded out, leaving no trace of its previous existence. '_That was too close!'_

"We need a plan! Basic attacks aren't going to help here!" the dual swordsman looked to Raine for help, and saw her looking over the Sword Dancer's form. Her eyes widened as an idea came to her mind. "I've got it! Kratos, Zelos! I need you two to attack the monster's legs. Take out its support, and bring it to the ground!" Turning to Colette and Genis, she continued, "You two work on keeping it distracted to give Kratos and Zelos their opening! Lloyd, you're with me!" The Eternal Swordsman nodded and took a ready stance. The Sword Dancer roared and lumbered towards them, as Raine signaled Genis and Colette to begin.

Genis called upon one of his most practiced elements, as red runes surrounded him. Colette too began to chant to herself, calling upon on her strongest angelic technique. Kratos glanced in her direction and nodded his approval of her choice. If this didn't get the Sword Dancer's attention, nothing would. "When those two complete their spells, we move in. Strike hard, strike fast, and get out of there." He advised, and Zelos nodded. The Chosen was certain that this was one of the most intense fights he'd taken part in. The mere presence of this monstrosity was unnerving to him, like something from his nightmares. If he'd been tasked to face this creature alone, he was sure that Tethe'alla would be without a Chosen rather quickly.

Genis finally gathered up enough energy for his assault, and glanced at Colette to see that she was prepared as well. The runes finally stopped circling and coalesced around his form, as the mage extended his hand towards the monster before him. "Try this on for size! Fire Lance!" A spear of flame took shape in the sky above Genis, and rocketed towards the Sword Dancer. Sensing the gathering of mana, the monster had turned to face it and confront the challenge. He was not expecting to get a face-full of white-hot fire that blinded his sight momentarily. It was as if someone had jabbed a blazing hot iron into the empty eye socket of his skull. But it was just the beginning.

Once Genis had completed his cast, Colette followed up behind him, extending her wings to their full reach before calling out, "Oh Holy One, cast thy purifying light upon this corrupt soul!" She opened her eyes and released the pent up energy. "Judgment!" Above them, the sky gave way to a barrage of light beams that careened towards the Sword Dancer's general area. If not for the urgency of the situation, one might think they were witnessing a star shower take place. Every impact that missed the demon shook the earth, sending mounds of earth into the air. Kratos and Zelos took this as their cue and dashed forward to take out the Sword Dancer's legs.

Of course, in their rush to take down their opponent, they had neglected one aspect of their plan: Colette's Judgment attack struck indiscriminately. If you were in its pathway, you will get hit, friend or foe. Kratos was familiar with this concept, as he himself has used the technique before. Zelos, on the other hand, had no such experience. While the Seraphim expertly weaved his way through the bright bursts of holy energy, Zelos was left to dodge by the skin of his teeth. More than once he found himself nearly on the receiving end of such a blast, only to have it miss thanks to his instincts from training. The pair finally made it to the Sword Dancer, who was occupied with protecting his head and upper torso from the blasts.

Kratos dashed towards the left leg, and thrust his sword right into the joint connecting the knee to the upper thigh with a cry of "Hurricane thrust!" The technique had the power to wedge the blade into the joint, before sending out a burst of air that shattered the connection, rendering the leg immoveable. Zelos followed suit and used his Light Spear to slash at the right leg's joint, weakening it before he destroyed it with a vertical swing of his blade. Their task complete, the pair escaped to rejoin Genis and Colette, who were both left panting from their efforts. '_Now the final blow is up to Lloyd and Raine…I hope this works.'_ Kratos thought to himself as he cast First Aid to help revitalize his fellow companions.

While the rest of the group had moved into action, Lloyd had been mentally preparing himself for his and Raine's portion of the attack. "What do you need me to do, Professor?" He turned to see the elder Sage narrow her eyes as she examined the Sword Dancer's form. She had to admit that even as a demon, the Sword Dancer's skeletal form was remarkably similar to that of a regular humanoid skeleton. She would have loved to sit down and take notes on the possible similarities and the implications. But the request of the Vice-Chief to eliminate him made that somewhat difficult.

"Professor?"

Not to mention the high likelihood of death. It was a strong deterrent to anyone who was a researcher like Raine. Ruins are a perfectly fine subject to study, as they don't take the time to try and decapitate you or slice and dice you. Unless you triggered a trap. But that was your own fault.

"Professor Sage? Please tell me you're not zoning out right now…"

The teacher had studied plenty of different kinds of traps in her many books and essays on the ruins of Sylvarant. She was prepared to recognize over 100 different types and designs of traps designed to snare, poison, paralyze, and of course, kill. She was a little underwhelmed to have not come across any such traps yet. Then again, no danger is probably the best type of danger there is, or so they say.

"So help me, I will get Sheena to summon Undine and drown you in the coldest water possible."

Raine popped out of her thought bubble and rejoined reality as Genis and Raine's attacks took effect. "Oh, right. Sorry about that. I need you to strike where his head is connected to the spine, Lloyd. Sever that connection, and he should break apart."

Lloyd blinked at the simple explanation. He had honestly been expecting something a little more…well…difficult. "And how do I cut through that bone when my attacks can't damage him significantly?"

"Simple. I'll hold him in place with my Photon spell, which will allow light magic to seep into his system. Since he is a creature of darkness, the light will affect him greatly. It will weaken him enough that your attack should break through with enough effort." The Professor dusted off some dirt from her jacket. Lloyd had to resist the urge to sweatdrop at Raine's almost…nonchalance. '_If this is how she acts around the Sword Dancer, I wonder how she'd act around Mithos…_'

Lloyd chose to disregard his teacher's odd mannerisms and took a ready stance as Kratos and Zelos moved in and struck, immobilizing the Sword Dancer. Without the use of its joints, it could do little to try and maneuver itself into a more defensive posture. The effect of Genis' attack, combined with Colette's barrage of holy energy left him disoriented and confused. He lashed out blindly, trying to strike any within his range if possible. Yet his blades met nothing but air, frustrating him further. Lloyd saw his opportunity and charged forward as Raine began casting Photon on the Sword Dancer. The air surrounding the Sword Dancer began to glow as an immense orb of light surrounded him and formed, drawing the light in and further harming it.

Taking his shot, Lloyd threw himself into a forward flip and began spinning rapidly as he yelled out "Psi Tempest!" He became a massive human projectile and flew towards the Sword Dancer's head. Seeing through the swirl of color to recognize his target, Lloyd shifted his weight to his left in order to shift his whirling motion. He was now not in a vertical rotation, but horizontal. His blades began to glow as the energy from the Photon spell gathered upon them, enhancing their ability. "And now…Photon Tempest!" Lloyd sliced past the Sword Dancer, and grunted in satisfaction as he felt his blades slice through his target. He came out of the technique and landed on the ground, skidding before coming to a stop.

The combined attack caused the Sword Dancer to finally crash to the ground, dropping with a crash that echoed through the forest. "Is…Is it over?" Zelos asked. "We got him, right? Tell me we got him."

Kratos was looking where the Sword Dancer had fallen, feeling something was off. That had been almost…too easy. "Appearances can be deceiving. Stay on your guard." He brandished his blade in front of him. Surveying the area, the Seraphim could tell they'd expended a great effort to get the monster to this state. If it took more than that, their chances may be direr than they expected. "Use this time to recover. If you have gels, use them. This isn't over yet."

Genis and Colette looked at the swordsman before fishing into their pockets and consuming an orange gel or two to restore their lost mana. They knew better than to disregard his advice. "I dunno…I don't know of many monsters that can take a beating like that and get back up." Zelos commented as he held his hands behind his head.

On Lloyd's side of the battlefield, he'd taken the momentary peace to recover his breath. The Tempest techniques required immense concentration to pull off correctly without shooting off into a random direction. The relief was short lived; he heard a cackling laughter build from what he thought was a defeated corpse. '_You've gotta be kidding…_' He looked up and saw the bones that they'd damaged and broken start to reform. The shattered spine was repairing itself, reconnecting to the skull that had loosely rolled to the ground when the rest of the Sword Dancer's body collapsed. As Lloyd stood back up to his full height, so too did the demon start to rise up again.

**(Music Cue: Two Steps from Hell- Archangel)**

"_**You've made me invoke my regeneration mid-battle, Swordsman! No small feat, mind you, no no no. This…this is was I've been waiting for. A true fighter, even if you rely on others for help. I wonder…do you draw strength from these bonds? Is this how defeated me once before?**_" The demon turned to face the dual swordsman, his weapons once more at his side. "_**You will find my power much stronger than yours alone, mortal. Strong you may be, but can you hope to withstand the force of death incarnate? Show me your will to live!**_" He suddenly leapt at Lloyd, all four blades coming down at the same time.

Lloyd's battle instincts kicked in and he immediately leapt to the right, already knowing that he would not escape all of the blades aimed for him. Drawing his swords, Lloyd immediately swung them both full force above his head, and met with the jagged edge of the right most blade the Sword Dancer wielded. He held him back, but only just. Lloyd could feel his feet being pushed into the earth beneath him, and had to get out of there quick. Tensing, Lloyd suddenly pushed back, shoving the sword meant to kill him back enough for him to move. Keeping up his pace, he sheathed his blades and dove forward, heading right for the gap between the demon's legs. He rolled into the dive, and leapt again as he felt the Sword Dancer's tail crash behind him. "_**Troublesome little worm! Why won't you sit still and die!**_"

"Sit still and die? Where's the fun in that?" Lloyd taunted as he rushed to put space between him and the monster behind him. The further away, the better. He looked up and saw the rest of the group rushing to meet him and regroup for a new plan. "Alright, we need another plan. We can forget the one we tried. He won't fall for that again."

Kratos looked past Lloyd towards the Sword Dancer. "Agreed. That regeneration ability of his was unexpected. If he can use it to recover from such wounds, then we face a more challenging task than we thought."

"Couldn't we just try to overwhelm him enough to overcome it? Do enough damage that he can't bounce back?" Zelos questioned. "Surely there's some sort of limit to it?"

"Doubtful. We immobilized him, blasted him with fire and light magic, and cut his spine in two. To bounce back from that would render him almost invincible with that kind of power." Raine had her head in one hand trying to think of a solution. How to circumnavigate such a power? It was like dealing with a machine that had an eternal fuel source. Her mind suddenly clicked and Raine's eyes widened. "Wait a minute…" she looked up and at the lumbering demon making his way towards them, bellowing challenges. "When one can't stop the machine, cut off its power…that's it!"

The rest of the adventurers turned to the Professor at her exclamation. "Hear me out. We can't expect to defeat him if he can use that regeneration, correct? So, why don't we stop him from using it entirely?"

"I highly doubt he'll stop using it just because we ask him to. He seems just a tad angry at us to consider listening." Zelos was keeping his eye on the demon as Raine spoke. It was getting closer, the earth rumbling more as it moved.

"Within my studies, I learned some magics that allow me to dispel magical effects that affect the body. It's enough that it can even prevent new effects from taking place. However, if I turn it onto this monster, it may be enough to weaken him enough that we can take him down." Lloyd nodded at the idea, wanting to be rid of the evil being once and for all. "How long do you need to prepare it?"

"Only a few moments, but I need to have him within range. You'll have to keep him close enough for me to reach. Once I complete the spell, you should be able to bring him down." Raine stated. The rest of the group nodded when they noticed the sudden quiet. "Where did he…" Lloyd's instincts yelled at him to run. "EVERYONE MOVE!" he shouted, and each member of the group took off in a different direction. Lloyd rolled and immediately cast Guardian, as the rest of the group followed suit with their own protective technique. Not a moment too soon, as where they had gathered was suddenly ablaze from a Fire Lance thrown by the Sword Dancer. The loose grass patches caught ablaze and spread the fire in a half circle, cutting off their escape.

"_**Nowhere to run…nowhere to hide! Face me or burn, mortals!**_" it roared and leapt towards Raine and Genis, and landed with an impact that shook them where they stood. Wobbling, Raine used her staff to keep herself steady, and looked up in fear as the monster loomed over her, blocking out the sun with its mass. Lloyd watched as it suddenly extended its arms out all the way, the blades all sitting at a horizontal position. His eyes widened as he understood what was about to happen. "Raine, Genis! Flat on the ground, now! Do it!"

Hearing his shout, Raine forgot her staff and simply fell to the ground, pressing herself as flat as possible. Genis followed suit, thanking Martel for once for his short stature. The Sword Dancer turned into a swirl of blades and bone, the air picking up into a gust from the force being exerted. Raine could almost feel the ends of her hair being plucked away by the attack, and pressed herself into the earth as far as she could. When the attack finally stopped, she looked up to see it swinging another blade to impale her on its end like a skewer. Reacting, she rolled away and kept rolling as he kept jabbing the ground she left behind.

"Fierce Demon Fang!" Lloyd's voice rang out, launching a massive shockwave towards the Sword Dancer that paused it in its efforts when it impacted his foot and turned to face him. "You want to pick a fight? Then come get one!" The demon accepted the challenge and turned to face him, brandishing his hook blade as he charged. "Professor, make it quick! We won't hold him for long!"

Raine heard this and immediately snapped back into action. Adrenaline pumping through her, she picked up her forgotten staff and began calling upon her healing magics, white runes surrounding her. '_Come on…come on…just a little more…_' She shaped the spell in her mind and focused on her target, now engaged in a duel with Lloyd, Kratos, and Zelos. The runes surrounding her finally flared, signaling the magic was ready. "I got it!" She swung her staff around her and held it to the air as high as she could. "Anti-Magic!"

White magic flared out from her form and rushed towards the Sword Dancer, engulfing it and spreading all over its form. "_**What…What have you done? What is this?**_" The demon called out. There was a new fear in its voice. It was unfamiliar with this form of assault, white magic. How had the fleshling figured out his weakness? "Now! Finish him off! He can't regenerate anymore!"

Lloyd heard this and nodded. "Everyone! Attack together! Follow my lead!" Lloyd charged in and ducked under a wild swing from the Sword Dancer. "Beast!" Lloyd rushed his the large bony foot and slammed into it with his shoulder before swinging his blade, releasing a burst of kinetic energy that shook the demon's body visibly. "Kratos, you're up!"

The Seraphim followed up behind him and drew his blade, calling on the element of lightning to his sword. "Take this! Super Lightning Blade!" He thrust his sword into the ribcage before him, the Sword Dancer screeching as if flesh was present there, before a lightning bolt suddenly struck him, adding to the damage.

"Light Spear Cannon!" Zelos swerved in below the Sword Dancer and targeted its right leg. His blade gleamed as he spun in place and struck several times before jabbing his blade into the bone, cracking it. He dashed out as the monster was brought to one knee in pain.

"Angel Feathers!" Colette appeared far above in the sky, and launched several rings of light that tore through the upper right arm of the demon, rendering it useless. "I got it!" She exclaimed and held up a "V" sign for victory.

"Don't forget about me!" Genis yelled from the sidelines as he finished casting another fire spell. "Burn! Eruption!" the ground beneath the monster suddenly turned bright red as the earth opened to spew lava into the Sword Dancer, burning it immensely. The combined assault brought the Sword Dancer to its knees, its body nearly destroyed. Lloyd stood to the side and took his stance as the energy from the Eruption spell suddenly swarmed to his blades.

"It's time to end this nightmare. Back to the darkness with you!" Lloyd ran forward straight at the head of the demon, which saw him coming and roared a final defiant yell, the last it would utter. The dual swordsman hit him full force with his body again, rocking his head back as Lloyd took to the air and flipped while bringing his blade down for the final blow. "Fiery Beast!" The attack connected, and the clearing burst into light as the Sword Dancer was engulfed in the fiery explosion before vanishing, defeated and broken.

Lloyd landed with a back flip and took a second to regain his breath before speaking. "It's over. We got him." He muttered before dropping his swords and rolling onto his back in exhaustion. Raine ran to his side and immediately performed first aid to check for any wounds. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, her student was relatively unharmed, if only winded from lack of mana and fatigue. "It looks like our plan worked after all. Good job, Professor."

Raine smiled at the praise and nodded. "I couldn't have done it without all of you helping. We all worked together to succeed."

"Yeah, but to use healing magic as a way to remove his defenses? That's genius, Raine! I think I'm falling for you all over again!" Zelos praised and flirted with her. To her credit, Raine blushed at the praise of being called a genius, but decided to let the boast of affection slide. There was enough damage between them all. They didn't need any more.

"It's so strange for it to have been here, though. I wonder how it got here from Sylvarant?" Colette asked as she looked to the smoldering remains of the Sword Dancer.

"It's definitely a monstrous being, to fight with such power. To say that it is capable of finding a way to follow us for vengeance isn't that far-fetched. But for now, we can breathe easy. We should probably clear out from here, however. The last thing we need is to be caught unawares by the resident monsters of the forest looking to pick us off." Kratos sheathed his blade and dusted himself off. He went to the unconscious Genis who had collapsed after his last spell and picked him up carefully.

"Yeah, let's get out of here before…oh, no! No!" Zelos exclaimed suddenly as he lifted up one of his shoes while balancing his feet. "My boots! They're burned!"

Lloyd and co. sweatdropped at the Chosen of Tethe'alla's reaction. "We just beat one of the hardest opponents we've ever fought, and you're worried over your shoes?"

Zelos stopped fretting and adopted a serious expression. "You're right, that's not whats important. What is important…" Zelos suddenly pulled a mirror from nowhere and looked himself over, "…is that my money-maker is safe and sound, with no scratches."

Lloyd face-faulted and held back the Professor from wanting to chuck a rock in his direction. "I'll give him a scratch, alright…" she muttered to herself.

**Border of Mizuho**

* * *

Sheena sat atop the gate, looking out towards the forest with worry etched onto her face. She could hear the sounds of combat echo from the woods and knew it was Lloyd fighting alongside her new friends against whatever was threatening the village. At one point, she glimpsed a massive explosion of light that made her shake with fear that Lloyd had been harmed, but she held herself in check from racing out to see. '_Where are you…please, come back safely, Lloyd…_' she remembered the short kiss she'd given him for luck, and pleaded silently to Martel for her brave swordsman's return. '_Wait, mine?_'

Her thoughts were cut off as the scout tower signaled they had visual sight of Orochi's patrol, causing her to stand up and scan the border of the forest. She caught side of several shadowed figures emerge from the woods, followed by the rest of the group. Most prominent in her eyes was the red jacket of Lloyd, who had decided to undo the jacket and heft it over his shoulder to relieve himself of heat. She waited only a moment more until they finally cleared the woods before rushing out to meet them.

Lloyd heard his name being called and looked up to see his favorite summoner running out to their location. "Sheena!" he waved, and the Kunoichi suddenly doubled her speed before suddenly tackling Lloyd in a powerful hug. Lloyd cringed slightly at the strength behind it before wrapping his arms around her form, smiling as she looked up at him. "You're back! So that means…?"

Lloyd nodded. "The monster that was hiding in the forest is gone now. We shouldn't see him again for a long time if at all."

Sheena smiled and rested her head on his chest. '_Thank Martel he's safe…_' she thought to herself in joy. A small cough brought her back to reality as she realized she was now center-stage to everyone's sight. She blushed bright red and turned back to walk to the village. "T-the vice-chief is waiting for your return. Let's head on in." She stated as she did her best to ignore the smirks on several faces. Kratos was doing his best not to outright smile, wanting to keep up his tough façade, but let enough slip to look knowingly at Lloyd, who only blushed and decided to do a little convenient bird watching.

Inside the village, many of the villagers were told of what the group had done, and cheered their return as they made their way to the Vice-Chief's residence. They'd only just crossed one of the small bridges over the smaller river running through the village when Tiga appeared before them. "I see that your mission was a success. You've proven your word well, Lloyd Irving. I am impressed."

Lloyd bowed his head in acknowledgement and spoke. "I told you, I'm a man of my word. If I say it will be done, it'll be done. For right now though, my friends and I need to rest and eat. We're all fairly tired."

"Of course, of course. Feel free to relax and lower your guard here. You are our friends and fellow people now, sworn in by an oath of honor and blood. For now, let us fetch you some food." With that, the group headed off for Tiga's residence for some well-earned rest and relaxation.

* * *

**And…it's done! I haven't written such a long fight scene like that in a long time! I think my fingers partook in that battle too…*holds up tired and damaged hands***

** Again, I apologize for the lateness, but I wanted to do this fight better than what I originally had written. It didn't carry that same intense feeling I got from my other combat scenes I'd done before, which was a big red flag to me.**

** So the Sword Dancer has been bested a second time, and the group is triumphant once more. With their success, Mizuho's allegiance is secured, and they can now resume their journey. Where do they go from here? You'll have to read and find out, won't you?**

** Read and review!**


	31. Chapter 31

*Camera opens to reveal Raenef buried beneath a pile of various objects, including birthday presents, Christmas gifts and decorations, new year's streamers and poofy hats, various college textbooks, and papers upon papers of ideas*

Raenef: *pops head out from massive pile* Yeah…I got a bad case of holiday laziness…birthday, Christmas, New Years…not to mention moving back in to college for my next semester. I don't even have any funny witty banter this time around. Infinite Freedom won't come inside!

*points at nearby window, where I.F waves at camera, his face covered by a protective anti-bacterial mask*

I.F: Until all the cake and food is cleared out, I don't even want to know what it smells like in there…

Raenef: Here's the next, and long overdue, chapter of ToS: Second Chance!

* * *

***Witty comments go here* Blagh. I truly don't have anything this time around. So get to reading! It's good for you!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

The next morning following the encounter with the Sword Dancer was relatively peaceful for the group. Now accepted and regarded as members of the Mizuho community, the villagers were much more open and friendly with them. Shopkeepers would smile and bow as they passed by, and offered vastly improved deals for their goods compared to before. A few children would run up on occasion and ask for stories from the powerful warriors from beyond the woods. The air of Mizuho was cleared away of any tension, and was now instead relaxed and calming.

"You know, now that we've been accepted and all, Mizuho really is a nice place to live in. I can see why they keep it hidden from view so carefully." Genis commented as he and Lloyd were wandering in the village's marketplace. "They wouldn't want anyone to come and try to take away their home." He paused at a stand selling various good luck charms gathered from all across Tethe'alla. The vendor, seeing he had a customer, bowed to him in welcome and stood to the side so Genis could view his wares.

"I know what you mean. I feel the same way about Iselia, even though it's a lot simpler than Mizuho." Lloyd stood next to Genis and held up a wood carving of a charm in the shape of a bird of legend. The twin swordsman could tell it was of high quality, and upon further inspection, saw that it was designed to model the appearance of Aska, one of the duo that makes up the Summon Spirit of Light. '_I never really understood why there had to be two of them to represent one summon spirit. Let alone the Sylph triplets.' _"Excuse me, how much for this charm here? And for that matter, what sort of luck does it bring?"

The vendor eyed the Aska charm for a moment before answering. "This charm is one I encountered while I was in Meltokio. I found it during one of their many festivals that they have there. It's a charm that is tied in with an ancient legend of a bird of light that flies over the world, watching over the innocents who are pure of heart and soul. It is said that those who carry the charm are blessed by the protector, bringing good fortune and wisdom. It will only cost you two hundred gald, sir."

Lloyd nodded at both the price and description. "Good fortune and wisdom, huh? Sounds like you could use the latter more than any, huh Lloyd?" Genis laughed before fishing out the gald for the charm. Lloyd grumbled under his breath about 'smart-mouthed mages' before they moved on their way. "To be honest, maybe I should've bought one for all of us. After all we've already seen happen here, we need all the good fortune we can get." Genis held the charm in his hands as they walked.

"You're right; we have seen a lot of bad things happen. But you have to remember, Genis, a lot of those events were out of our control. Now that we're here, we can act to stop them from happening." Lloyd looked around them as they passed several food stands marked with fresh fruits and vegetables. "Look at the good we've done already. We saved Colette from being taken by Cruxis. We escaped from that dark double of me. And we beat the Sword Dancer and protected Mizuho. I'd say we're doing just as much good as the rest of the world is doing bad."

"You make a good point. Still…" Genis trailed off, looking around him, "It's hard to believe that there was a whole different world, right in front of us this whole time. I want to learn as much as I can about it. The people, the cities and towns…they might even have some different forms of magic compared to what we know in Sylvarant."

'_If only you knew, Genis. That's just the tip of the iceberg.' _Lloyd thought to himself as he listened. "Then do your best to study hard and be the brainiac that I know you are!" He encouraged the mage as they moved along. "After all, I have to copy my homework off of somebody!"

Genis sweatdropped. "If all you do is copy me, then how do you learn anything at all?" he muttered to himself.

* * *

**With Raine and Tiga**

Meanwhile, in another more secluded portion of Mizuho, the Professor was pouring over some of the scrolls of lore and history kept by the elders of the village. Tiga was present to supervise her search, as well as assist her when she came across an unfamiliar text or language. He had to admit, the teacher before him was far more intelligent than what her outside appearance showed. Many of the documents and scrolls that he had retrieved detailed some of the most ancient history that Mizuho had recorded, some of which was from before the village had even been established! And yet she could scan through them with little trouble if any at all. '_These elves truly are remarkable…they deserve far more than what they receive in this corrupt world.'_ Tiga was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Raine speak. "My apologies, Professor Raine. Could you please repeat what you said before?"

The Professor moved a strand of silver hair from her forehead before answering. "I said, I've looked through every one of these scrolls on ancient beings, yet none of them have any reference to what we're searching for. There are plenty of demons and divine beings, yes, but none of them match up with what we fought in our world."

Tiga paced around the room in thought and looked out one of the few open windows of the building. It gave him a grand view over the village, permitting him to keep an easy view over the comings and goings of his home. "Perhaps we're looking in the wrong direction? Try describing him again for me."

Raine sighed and sat down in a chair that had been provided for her. "I don't have much to go on…only a legend from our world. The fact that I had not heard of it mentioned in any of the Chosen's histories, nor the histories of the past pilgrimages puts it back more years than I'd care to count. As I understand it, this…monster originates from the time that the hero Mithos was said to have lived, almost 4,000 years ago. But that wasn't its origin, only a time it was spotted and encountered by Mithos himself. It was called '_Amatsu-Mikaboshi_', and is a dark sword that for some reason has a vendetta with Lloyd. That's honestly all I can attest to at the moment, especially the vendetta."

"Well, you must remember that if this...sword originates from so long ago, it cannot be said for certain that it was here in our world to begin with. But from what you say, we can likely rule out it being a demon or divine being. A demon is a wild and destructive being, but it never has a focus or direction for its rage. As for the divine beings, they are simply that; divine, holy beings that represent the holier and lighter aspects of our beliefs and ancient ways. There wouldn't be such a dark and corrupt thing as that sword amongst them." Tiga said.

Raine mulled over her options in her head as her hands skimmed along the delicate paper surface of a rolled out scroll. It contained many depictions of monsters of reality and myth, some she had seen before and others she hoped to never see again. "Could it maybe be a vengeful spirit or remnant from the past, wanting to exact revenge on Lloyd or maybe Lloyd's family line?" Tiga suggested.

Raine shook her head in the negative. "I've known Lloyd since he was a mere child who could barely stand. He's a boy with a clear heart and a strong will inside him. Not once has he ever lashed out in vengeance or hatred, only to protect his friends from harm. Playground bullies never stood a chance against him." She chuckled as she recalled seeing Lloyd fend off the troublemakers of her class when they tried to pick on her little brother or Colette. No matter the circumstance, Lloyd always stood by their side. "As for his family, he was adopted by a dwarf named Dirk at a very young age, so young he doesn't remember his mother or real father's face. We tried a couple times to seek them out, but to no end."

Tiga nodded as he heard the brief description of the twin swordsman's past. "Then we can likely rule out this being Lloyd's doing, as well as his father's. I'm certain neither would've made so dramatic a mistake as to invoke the wrath of an evil being."

At that same moment, Lloyd suddenly sneezed into a bowl of rice he had been eating with Genis and Sheena, who had found them, sending bits of rice flying everywhere and especially onto his face and hair.

Kratos, meditating by a nearby tree, felt his nose suddenly tingle, the signal for a sneeze that was inbound. But being who he was, and wanting to maintain his public face, he fought it down and merely huffed to clear his throat.

Tiga began pacing again, exploring other possibilities in his mind of where to look for answers. "_Amatsu-Mikaboshi_…the August Star of Heaven…the literal translation of its name," he explained at Raine's questioning look, "but what could it be linked to? We have no real accounts of cursed weapons or possessed ones either from the time period you describe. We've been trained to identify vengeful spirits, so Sheena would have easily recognized it had that been the case." He sighed again. It should be expected that the answers to questions about a being of darkness would be just that: in the dark. "It's always the non-mortal creatures that are the most trouble."

Raine had been mulling possibilities in her head while only partially hearing Tiga speak. She was just about to start pulling her hair out when she heard the word "mortal", and suddenly it clicked for her. "Wait…wait a moment. Say what you just said again." She asked.

Tiga raised his eyebrow, but complied. "It's always the non-mortal creatures that are the most trouble?"

Raine nodded as her mind started making new connections. Looking to the compiled information on the table before her, it would be very difficult for a passerby to determine what all was held in front of them. But there was a few undeniable facts that could still be gleamed from them all, things that tied them all together. They were all ancient records from elders past. All documented creatures both spiritual and physical. And their sources were all from mortal hands and minds.

"What if we're looking in the wrong place? Maybe our answer doesn't lay within a mortal mind, but maybe instead an _immortal_ mind?" Raine threw out her idea to Tiga, hoping he would pick up on her train of thought.

"An immortal…wait…" Tiga caught on to the implications. "If you mean what I believe you do, and I'm quite certain I do, then there's only one source we can turn to for answers."

Raine smiled at the little victory she had achieved. The Professor has done it again.

* * *

**Later that day**

"So, what did you manage to come up with, Professor? Do we have any idea what we're dealing with here?" Zelos asked from his seat in Tiga's audience room. The Chosen had taken a little time to himself to survey the village as well as try to win the affections of the female folk of the village. However, it appeared Sheena had warned the village women of Zelos' ways, as his sore chest and face could attest to. He did his best to look serious, though the effect was lost due to the bandages on his face.

"Yes and no. Tiga and I searched through all of Mizuho's records of past encounters with shadow beings. There was no mention of _Amatsu-mikaboshi _amongst any of them, however. Whatever it is we're dealing with, he has either not had an encounter with Mizuho before, or has taken care to not have any know of him." Seeing their downcast looks, Raine continued. "However, we did figure out one possibility that could help us."

Lloyd leaned forward to listen. "What did you find?"

"We decided that since all of our information so far has been from human or more precisely mortal hands, we needed to consult something that is a step above mortals, and one who would know all about beings of darkness."

Sheena's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "You mean to speak to Shadow, the Summon Spirit of Darkness, don't you?"

Raine nodded. "Can't put anything past you, can I? You figured out what took me and Tiga all day from one sentence."

Sheena smirked and stuck out her sizeable chest. "I am the top Kunoichi of this village for a reason, you know. I'm not just all looks."

"And what looks they are!" Zelos exclaimed, only to receive a bash on the head from the summoner. "What was that for?" he whined. "As if I haven't been beat up enough today!"

"Stop acting like a pervert for once and maybe you'll live with fewer bruises!" Sheena huffed before sitting back down next to Lloyd.

"Getting back on topic…" Tiga cleared his throat. "We decided that speaking to Shadow to see what he knows is our best bet from here on. His knowledge extends far beyond just his element. It encompasses all aspects of darkness: creatures of its domain, magics and crafts, even people associated with it. Shadow knows them all, and would likely know something if anything about this man." He drank from a small cup of sake before continuing. "But that in itself poses a problem. Several, to be truthful."

"What do you mean? How hard could it be to talk to a summon spirit? We've done it ourselves once already." Genis questioned.

"I'm well aware of your encounter with Undine, young mage. You did well to earn her favor and for Sheena to earn the right to summon her. A noteworthy feat, I might add." Tiga nodded to Sheena, who blushed lightly from the praise. "However, Shadow is on a different level than Undine. I assume that Undine's temple was easy to navigate? And her guardian easily bested?" Genis nodded to the positive to both.

"That's all good and well, but Shadow is another matter entirely. The location of his temple alone is very secluded and hidden from view. He is much like his namesake in that he hides beneath the shadow of the Fooji Mountains. You may find it simply enough, but that is only the beginning. The problem for most that enter the temple is the matter of the entire temple being shrouded in darkness. It's thick enough that even the brightest of lights are dimmed by its aura. Torches and light from the outside are snuffed out instantly. You would be entering the temple blind."

The group found the prospect of walking blind to be frightening. "Then how do we get inside to meet Shadow if we won't even be able to see each other?" Colette questioned. "Is there some way to get past the darkness?"

Tiga nodded. "There is a way to breach the shadows, yes. There have been travelers and scientists who have entered the temple before to research it. They too came across the same problem. However, after much research, they managed to discover a magic that would reduce the darkness aura's power to a much more visible form. It made traversing the temple much simpler. It's called the Blue Candle, due to the aura of light it has when it nears darkness of any kind. If you could get your hands on it, you would have a clear path inside the temple."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and get it! Where is it being kept?" Zelos asked. Lloyd had been listening quietly the whole time, and was wondering what the point was that Tiga was leading to. Thinking of what he remembered about the Blue Candle, he knew it had been held by the researchers at the research institute in…oh, damn.

"It's being held in Meltokio, in the Research Institute near the Royal Castle. A place that we no longer consider to be safe or friends." Tiga answered. "We have had no contact at all from the Institute since the Pope's takeover. We suspect that he has clamped down on them immensely, partly for their work with us and partially for just who it is that resides there."

Genis' eyebrows furrowed at this. "What do you mean? I get the part about Mizuho, but what does it matter who works there?" he questioned.

Tiga's eyes met with the Professor's, whose countenance suddenly became saddened with realization. "There's elves in there…aren't there?" She muttered.

"Half-elves, to be precise. There are several who are there due to it being the highest station of work in Meltokio they can acquire due to their status by law. Others due to a wish to have a safe haven, which was granted by the now, passed on king. It has been their home and their prison. They still had the candle, by our records. The only problem would be trying to reach them inside the kingdom's walls." Tiga laid out a small map that when unrolled, unveiled the layout for Meltokio's streets and key buildings. He pointed to where the Research Institute was located before continuing.

"I could send a squad of shinobi to sneak in to the city and obtain the candle ourselves. It wouldn't be easy, but it can be done. But there are flaws in that plan. Our Intel on the guard rotations, the security detail, all is outdated by at least 2 weeks. We have no way of knowing if they've changed their security, if its tight-knit or relaxed, even just the numbers of what they have at their disposal. Before we ever try to infiltrate a location, I always have at least two agents planted there to provide us Intel on what we can expect within. Because of the Pope's hostile takeover, all communication has been cut off. No messages have been relayed to us, not even just to confirm their safety. It's possible to expect they could have been caught and detained."

Tiga took a breath and continued on his list of worries. "Another problem, and one with heavier consequences for us, is if we are caught with the candle in hand. The Pope's never been trusting of us, and has more than once publicly denounced us, though he was silenced by the king. If we were to take the candle, it would not be long before someone became aware of it. They keep records of all the Research Institute's activities, as well as all possessions kept there. If the candle were to suddenly vanish, the Pope would tear through the Institute and no doubt get someone to squeal. You realize what that would mean."

"The Pope would have his opening to try and remove you from the game. For all our good intentions, it would serve only to justify his wish to get rid of Mizuho." Kratos concluded. "That is one consequence we cannot allow to happen."

Tiga nodded. "Indeed. But as I said, it is a risk should we undertake the mission. If there are no other viable solutions, then it'll be our only choice."

All were quiet as they racked their minds. Lloyd had no wish to put Mizuho in such danger like that. It was enough that he could put up with being labeled as a criminal. He had been such several times in the past, as he recalled. Even then, he'd never been really caught, though if that was due to him being always on the move or the lack of talent of the crime sketch artist, he knew not. Looking around his gathered friends and allies, he knew that none had the desire to put Mizuho in such a position. "Tiga," the swordsman called to the Vice-Chief to get his attention, "I don't think we're going to be able to ask you to do that. We can find another way into the temple. A way that won't risk you or your village's safety."

He arched an eyebrow in slight confusion. "But how else will you get inside, if not through using the Blue Candle?"

Colette suddenly gasped as an idea sprang to her mind. "Wait! I just had an idea!" Everyone turned to look at her, causing her to gulp back her sudden feeling of shyness at their gazes. "If the temple is protected by Shadow's power, what if we got help from the Summon Spirit of Light?"

"You mean call upon Luna to help us?" Lloyd asked the blonde Chosen. At her nod, he hmm-ed in thought. "It would make sense. Light is the polar opposite of darkness, after all. Whatever protections that Shadow has up, surely Luna could undo them. But that would mean going back to Sylvarant…"

"We could do it. All we would have to do is return to Yuan's base and go back through the portal. We have the Rheairds as well, so we can get there in a flash." Genis picked up on the idea. "And it would keep Mizuho from having to possibly be exposed to the Pope."

"But what about Cruxis and that dark copy of Lloyd? We would have to be careful to not be caught by either of them. The last thing we need is to be captured by the very people we just escaped from." Raine questioned. "Not to mention, we may not even be able to make the pact with Luna. Each Summon Spirit comes with its own test and protection. We may have bested the guardian of the seal, but that would mean we'd have to face down Luna herself."

Lloyd pondered over the idea and shoved his hands into his pockets. He blinked when he felt the good luck charm he'd bought earlier that day, the one that looked a lot like…Lloyd felt the urge to bash himself. He just recalled what happened when they tried to form the pact with Luna the first time. They'd been sent on the long-winded journey to find Aska so he would reunite with Luna for the pact formation. That had taken an immensely long time. But even so, it may be their best bet to get inside. But he didn't want to waste time going on the goose chase again. A light bulb went off in his brain. "What would we have to do in order to have Luna join with us? Is there anything special she might ask for?" he asked Colette, and hoped that the hours she'd spend studying the Summon Spirits while he was asleep in class held up.

Colette adopted a thinking expression before she spoke again. "I remember in one of the older scripts how it was said that when Mithos made the pact with Luna, he had to also make a pact with a bird of light, named Aska. Aska and Luna were partners together, both holding dominion over the realm of light. If we try to make a pact with Luna, it would mean making one with Aska as well."

Raine sat up in her seat at this. "Wait, the legendary Golden Bird of the Sun? That Aska?" Colette nodded. "He's said to roam over all the lands of Sylvarant, hiding from mortal sight for fear of being hunted. Legend states that he only responds to the call of the Linkite Tree, which would mean…" she mumbled to herself for a moment before speaking clearly again. "If we go after Luna and Aska, we'd have to find Aska first. And to do that, we'll need the Linkite Tree or an instrument carved from the tree's fruit. But where to find one after such a long time?"

Kratos decided to take reign of the conversation. "We shouldn't get ourselves bogged down by all this discussion. Our first act is obvious. We must return to Sylvarant via Yuan, and then seek out Aska from there." The rest of the group seemed to agree with this, causing Tiga to stand up. "I thank you all for your consideration of my village. Few would choose to value our safety over their own needs."

Lloyd nodded. "We need all the friends we can get, Tiga. If we can find a way to help everyone, we'll be sure to find it." He turned to the rest of the group. "Everyone, let's get going. We've got a Summon Spirit to find."

* * *

**An hour later, over the ocean**

The group had departed from Mizuho soon after meeting with Tiga, with the decision to pursue Luna and Aska to reach Shadow. Flying over the ocean waters below, Lloyd was taking tabs on what had occurred already. Kratos had noted his son's quiet demeanor, and hovered over to speak with him. "Gald for your thoughts, Lloyd?"

Lloyd brought himself out of his mind to look to his father and mentor. "I'm just…I feel strange, Kratos. Uncertain."

"I see. What about?" He wondered what could give his son enough pause to not enjoy the flight aboard the Rheaird.

"Everything's changing. I wanted to do my best to stick to how everything had happened before, only to stop people from getting hurt, protecting everyone. But it's as if I'm not able to do even that. We've been here only a short while, and already it's spiraling out of control. The king of Tethe'alla is dead, the Pope's taken over Meltokio…I don't know what's coming next. Before, it was as if I had a direct goal every time I was asked what it was I was doing, by you, or Cruxis, or anyone. But here and now, I'm not sure where to head for first. Do I handle Cruxis and Yggdrasill first? Do I go after that cursed sword? Every problem I try to solve, another one pops up."

Kratos looked away from his son and out to the clouds and was silent for a moment before speaking. "A wise man once said, 'The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former' (**1**). If you let yourself become overwhelmed by every problem facing you, you won't succeed at doing anything but worrying. Take each step as if you were taking care of a home, or perhaps if you were in the middle of crafting an important item from scratch. I feel the latter is more your familiar."

Lloyd looked to his father as he continued. "Face every problem you come across as one more step to reaching your goal. Some will require more effort and thought than others, true. But I know you can overcome them all, Lloyd, and you won't face them alone, either. We're here to help you, and I for one won't be leaving my son if I can help it." Kratos looked at Lloyd and smiled a small smile. "Does that help you any, Lloyd?"

Lloyd grinned and nodded. "It does. Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it. By the way, how do you think Yuan will react to the news of the king's passing?"

Kratos looked to the small patches of frozen islands that marked where Yuan's base was. "Knowing him, he'll react as I know him to be: calm, collected, intelligent, and without hesitation."

* * *

**Inside the base-Yuan's audience room**

"Martel dammit!" Yuan's head made a dull thudding noise as he hit it on his desk. "You mean to tell me that not only has the King passed on, but the rest of the Royal Family has been driven out, and the blasted Pope has taken over?" he questioned the now nervous twin swordsman in front of him.

Lloyd could feel a sweatdrop forming above his head. "Um…yeah, pretty much. Oh, and we have to go over to Sylvarant to make a pact with Luna, so we need you to open the portal doorway again."

Yuan groaned and stood up from his desk, and Lloyd did his best to ignore the now visible red circle on his forehead. "And to do this, you will need a Linkite flute to call on Aska, as Luna won't form the pact without him present. Sometimes Lloyd, I wonder why I help you and your father."

"Is it because we're trying to save the world from a flamboyant metro sexual with a sister complex who wants to take over the world because he thought it was his sister's dying wish?" Lloyd suggested.

"It was a rhetorical question! Regardless if you're right or not." Yuan muttered. "I don't suppose there's anything else I should get for you? Some food and gald while I'm at it?" He started shelving some misplaced books, shoving them in with clear frustration when they wouldn't fit in place.

"No, but thanks. Though I would like to know just what's gotten into you all of a sudden. Did something happen while we were gone?" Lloyd watched as Yuan stopped and gave up, throwing the books aside.

"Yggdrasill has been grilling me lately. Ever since the Tower incident, he's been trying to figure out what happened as well as what happened to all of you, the Chosen especially. He discovered that I had been there, and has been demanding to know all about it. I've been able to keep him off anything worthwhile, but he is suspicious as ever. I convinced him that I was there as insurance should something have gone wrong during the final seal's release. Speaking of that, he's furious that Colette didn't release the final seal. It's causing a bit of trouble with the mana flows between the worlds."

"What do you mean? Is that bad?" Lloyd sat back in his seat as he listened.

"Yes and no. Yes, because it means that Tethe'alla's mana is being drained away to Sylvarant, leaving little for Tethe'alla to use. Already, there are signs of decline in crops and water sources, though few have taken note so far. But I also say no because since one of the four mana links has not been turned, some of Sylvarant's mana is still being funneled through that link. This is providing small relief to Tethe'alla as a result." Yuan sat back down at his desk and ran a hand through his cyan locks. "Yggdrasill prefers it to be all one way or another, never split up. He worries that it would cause even more imbalance to his improvised system."

"Hmm…wait, what would happen if we turned one of the mana links back to the way it was before? Make it even between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla?" Lloyd asked. "Would that help with anything?"

Yuan looked up and shook his head. "No, if anything, that would make it worse. Instead of giving and receiving, both ends would take the mana for themselves. Whatever mana was keeping the Great Seed alive and in stasis would vanish, and the seed would die. I don't need to tell you what would happen should that occur."

Lloyd sighed. "I remember. Damn Yggdrasill for splitting the worlds!" he exclaimed. "Why couldn't he see that there was a way to balance the worlds together, without hurting so many people?"

"He was driven by grief and sadness, Lloyd. When a man is possessed by such emotions, there is little one can do to try and dissuade him save through sheer force itself. And armed with the Eternal Sword, there was little force me or anyone else could muster to stop him. Only Martel herself could have stopped him, but she was the very reason he acted as he did."

Both were silent for a time as they kept to their own thoughts. Lloyd realized that he was putting Yuan through much more than he first realized. The man was not only taking care of his organization, but bearing the heat from Yggdrasill and Cruxis as well. "For what it's worth, Yuan, I'm sorry that we put you through all this. Before, I never realized just how much you had to deal with in all this. But knowing all the truth now, you've been through more than any of the rest of us save Kratos."

"It's alright. If anything, I can keep Yggdrasill from looking for you and focused on that dark copy of you that we fought before. Speaking of him, did you find any information on whom or what he is?" Yuan stood up and began pacing again, a habit he kept up consistently.

"None at all. We didn't get a chance to try in Meltokio, and Mizuho had no information on him at all. However, we did come up with a plan to see Shadow. Being a Summon Spirit, he might have an idea as to just who or what he is. But to get inside to see him, we need Luna's help."

Yuan nodded. "I see. It's a good plan, if risky. Yggdrasill has agents in both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, though for now, I believe his focus is upon Tethe'alla. The only unknown here is this dark copy, though I feel he's at least out of commission for now. One doesn't take two Judgment spells head-on and just walk away." He pushed a button on his console and messaged his science lab staff. "Start prepping the dimension gate. We have travelers who need to cross over to Sylvarant. Inform me when it's ready." A chorus of "yes sir!" answered, and Yuan turned the com off.

"Even at their fastest pace, it will still take a little time before its ready. Check with your friends and make sure you have all your gear you'll need for when you depart. I believe that we may have a supply of Linkite fruit that you can use for calling Aska. You will have to craft the flute yourself, however. And please, do be careful. If you damage it, we won't have any to replace it with. I'll send it to you when the portal's ready." Yuan returned to his desk and went about organizing the mess that was gathered on it.

"Thanks, Yuan. If there's anything I can do to return the favor, let me know." He turned to walk out, only to pause when Yuan called to him. "There is…one thing you could do." The Seraphim stated. At his questioning look, he continued. "I understand that Professor Raine is the medic for your group?" Lloyd nodded. "Could you send her in here? I have something that I feel may aid her in her abilities."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow, but accepted it. "Sure, I'll send her your way." He left the office and headed for the small lounge room where the rest of the group was waiting. After sending the Professor on her way, he sat down and leaned back against the couch where Sheena had been resting as well. She was asleep, and Lloyd couldn't help but note she had a cute face when asleep. The shift in weight on the couch suddenly caused her to lurch to the side, and her head landed on Lloyd's shoulder. The swordsman blinked but smiled and shifted to help make her comfortable. The rest of the group noticed the obvious affection and smiled. "So what did Yuan want with the Professor?" Colette asked from a nearby table. She had been keeping up with her lessons with Zelos offering to help her. For once, the perverted Chosen actually lent his help instead of using the chance to flirt with her.

"As I understand it, he had something that would help her healing abilities. He wouldn't say what, though. He also told me that he'd have the portal open soon, as well as the fruit we need to get Aska to come to us." Lloyd pulled the raven-haired summoner closer, causing her to sigh as she snuggled closer.

"It's amazing that Yuan has all these resources to help us. Could you imagine where we would be without him?" Genis noted. "Though I am curious just how he does have all this help for us. Why do it? What's in it for him?"

"He told us he wants to help because he opposes Cruxis' actions. He did save us in the Tower, after all." Colette said. "He can't be that bad if he was willing to do that."

"But still, he has a whole army of men under his control. Bases planted on both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. If he's been in opposition of Cruxis for so long, why is he only getting to move now? All this technology he has on hand, you would think he would have put a stop to Cruxis already."

"Not all battles are won in the open, Genis." Kratos spoke in defense of his close friend and ally. "I have no doubt that Yuan has indeed accomplished much in his life. His organization wouldn't go out to promote themselves as opponents of someone like Cruxis. He would expose himself and his people should he declare any vocal opposition to, say, the followers of Martel? Those who believe Cruxis to be the ruling bodies of heaven would rise up against Yuan just for the mere idea of rejecting Cruxis."

Genis thought about this and nodded. "That makes sense. Say, didn't you say before that you and Yuan worked together? Back when you were with Cruxis?"

Kratos tensed at the question. He found himself disliking his past more and more as he realized that the path Lloyd was seeking was the right and true path. "Yes, we did. He and I have been allies since before any of you were born." '_And your parents and grandparents and even before them, we've worked together. It amazes me it took so long for us to see the truth of the matter.'_ "We've been through very much together. I admit, we would be in a much less desirable situation should Yuan be our opposition as well. He can keep Cruxis from knowing our actions, as well as spy on them to stay one step ahead."

"That's all good and true, but what if he turns around and reports to Cruxis about us? How do we know we can trust him?" Genis pushed. The mage knew his questions might seem insensitive, but he knew better than to be naïve. He couldn't just openly trust someone based off the word of one person. He and his sister hid their half-elf status for that express purpose; no one would trust them if it was revealed that they weren't full blooded elves.

"I know him much better than you do, Genis. If you can trust my word that he is a good man, then you can trust him." Kratos replied. "Furthermore, don't forget that I too keep tabs on Cruxis. If he was to ever report something or betray us, I would be the first to know."

Genis sighed and decided to accept this for now. He only wished that Kratos and Yuan weren't so mysterious, but he knew better than to pry into the mercenary's life. As far as he was concerned, Genis was nothing more than a companion.

Everyone's thoughts were interrupted as Raine re-entered the room, a look of absolute joy on her face. "Amazing, just amazing! I can't believe he gave this to me!" she gushed as she held a large tome to her chest.

"What have you got there, Professor?" Colette asked her. She stood up and walked over to get a closer look. The large book had a large amount of dust accumulated on it, and was written in scripts that she had trouble translating.

"It's Boltzman's complete book, his formulas for healing and aiding the ill. Boltzman was a powerful healer who lived long ago. He was renowned for his ability to heal any wound, cure any poison, and relieve any illness! It was said he kept a record of all his works, how to diagnose the diseases he came across as well as cure them. It was supposed to have been lost some time after the Kharlan War, but here it is!" She rubbed her hands across it before using her cheeks as well. The group sweat-dropped at the obvious affection for the book.

"So…charming you with gifts, huh? You must've made quite an impression on him." Zelos commented from his table, a knowing smirk on his face. Raine blushed and turned to her accuser.

"I-I don't know what you mean! He only gave me this to help me with my healing arts!" She turned to look back at the book. "Still…to give me such a priceless treasure…" she muttered to herself. She smiled in a determined manner. "I'll make sure to put it to good use."

Lloyd smiled at the Professor's happiness. "Well, we still have some time before the portal is ready. Why don't we go and do some training? I'm kinda itching for some practice myself." He suggested.

"I agree. I could use a little warm-up myself. I'll spar with you, Lloyd." Kratos said as he got up from his seat and stretched. "I wonder how many hits you'll get on me this time. Two? Maybe three?"

Lloyd pouted at his words. "Hey, I can take you on and you know it. Let me just-"he stood to get up, but remembered that Sheena was sleeping on him. Lloyd nudged her a few times to wake up, but she only muttered and nuzzled closer. Lloyd blushed as he could sense everyone watching him. "Sheena, wake up!" he whispered.

"Mm…five more minutes, Lloyd…" she whispered quietly. Lloyd sweatdropped and wondered just what it was that made him so cozy to her. '_I wonder if…yeah, that'll work!'_ He leaned down to whisper in her ear, while Zelos suddenly felt dread wash over his body.

"Sheena, Zelos is flirting with Colette again. He mentioned something about teaching her things behind closed doors?" He played up the innocent tone to be more convincing. Lloyd figured it would be enough to stir her awake. What he hadn't expected was for her to suddenly stand and fling a Pyre Seal right at Zelos' direction, her eyes wide open and enraged. Zelos, unprepared, was flung from his seat and into the wall. "I…didn't even…do anything…" Zelos whined as the room spun around him.

"Pervert Chosen!" Sheena exclaimed before straightening up. "So, what's going on now? I must've dozed off while you were talking to Yuan, Lloyd." She rubbed at her eyes as Lloyd stood up.

"We're all going to go train a little bit to pass the time. The portal to Sylvarant won't be open for a little while, so why not make some good use of it?" he suggested. Sheena thought about it and decided to join them. '_Besides, if we get worn out, I can use that as an excuse to lie next to him again! Everybody wins!'_

* * *

**Two Hours later**

"So, do we have everything together?" Sheena asked Lloyd, who was packing up what was left of his belongings. Their little training session had gone pretty well from their viewpoint. Lloyd, Kratos, and Zelos had a three-way spar against each other, to practice taking on multiple opponents. They took care to not hurt each other too badly, though each got a few fair shots in. Somehow, Kratos had emerged from it looking natural as ever, while Zelos and Lloyd needed to wash up afterwards.

Genis took to practicing some of his intermediate level magics, being placed in a separate training room to avoid anyone being harmed. Needless to say, the room was trashed by the time the mini-mage was done. Sheena had chosen Colette as her partner, who helped her in getting a workout with dodging and eluding attacks. Colette was given the same treatment, though she had an easy advantage with her wings. Raine had delegated herself to studying the new tome that Yuan had given her, amazed at the depths of knowledge contained within.

"Yep! We've got the Linkite Fruit packed, the Rheairds refueled, and our inventories restocked. We're ready to go." Lloyd answered, tying shut his large knapsack. He heard a door open and saw Yuan enter to greet the group, now gathered in the hanger area. "Yuan! Have you come to see us off?" he asked, standing up to greet the Renegade leader.

"Indeed I have. My men inform me that everything is prepared and ready for your trip." He spared a glance around the room, eyeing each of the group members before turning back to Lloyd. Lloyd could've sworn his gaze lingered longer on Raine than the rest. "Fly safely, Lloyd, and hurry back once you've finished. Botta will be at the Sylvarant base to await your return and open the gateway again. And keep your eyes peeled for any trouble. Cruxis has been laying low for a time, but I fear they may seek you and the Chosen out."

Lloyd nodded. "We'll be careful. Thanks, Yuan." With that, the group climbed aboard their Rheairds and flew off into the sky, entering the portal and vanishing into Sylvarant once again. Yuan observed them the entire time, his thoughts drifting between Lloyd and his father, Cruxis, and surprisingly the young Professor Raine. He caught himself and smiled before assuming his usual frown. Walking out of the hanger, he passed by the training areas and gave them a passing glance before walking on. A few moments later, he ran back and blinked twice before yelling in frustration.

"Does he have to wreck everything inside my bases every time he comes by? If Cruxis or that dark copy doesn't kill him, I swear I will!" Yuan stormed off, muttering to himself, leaving behind a pile of wreckage and broken metal that was once the training areas.

* * *

**EDIT: Fixed bit where Lloyd talks about Pope taking over Meltokio, not Mizuho. Credit to Vandenbz for catching it.**

**Quote by Alfred Armand Montapert, an author. I found it to be rather appropriate for Kratos to say it to Lloyd.**

**An****d thus, chapter 31 is complete! I realize it was short and lacking in action, but I couldn't find a way to really cram in any here. This is really just more of a transition scene to the next big move than anything else. Its part of the reason this took so long to write. I love writing action scenes and fighting bits, but with scenes of dialogue and character development, it can be a struggle.**

**On another note, I've posted a new poll on my profile, concerning Lloyd's fate in ToS: SC. You'll have to see it to know what it is. But I want to see what everyone's take on the idea is. Also, I've decided to try and expand away from Second Chance for a bit. I find it tiring to write solely this for ToS fics, and while I do enjoy it, I want to provide some more entertainment for you guys! So, be on the lookout for some new fics from yours truly. They won't take away from SC, no, but give me a chance to at least break past any writing blocks should I get any.**

**Until next time, folks. Read and Review!**


	32. Chapter 32

*Camera opens to show the Tower of Mana in all its glory, panning up the massive structure to its rooftop, where I.F and Raenef stand looking over the edge*

Raenef: I'm telling you, it could totally work.

I.F: And I'm telling you that not only is it highly unethical and not necessary, the fans wouldn't like it one bit.

Raenef: But he would survive! He has to! The only way he can get hurt is if it's not for comedic purposes!

I.F: But still…*suddenly hears a noise behind him and turns to see the ToS cast so far watching confused*

Lloyd: Is there any particular reason you two are here?

*I.F starts to answer, but Raenef speaks before he can*

Raenef: We were…hocking loogies! Yes! People do that on the edge of tall buildings!

*Awkward silence follows, as Raenef starts to sweat*

I.F: *turns to face the camera* I suppose I'll start the chapter then. Here's chapter 32!

* * *

**Sorry for the bit of delay between last chapter and this one. I've been doing work on Tales of a Steamworld, so I put this on the backburner for a time while I brainstormed new ideas. You should check it out, especially if you have a taste for Steampunk or world-crafting!**

Speech-normal speech

_Speech_-thoughts

Speech-Origin and Summon Spirits speaking

(Speech) Author speaking

* * *

"So what do we do now? How do we search for Aska from here?" Genis questioned as the group gathered around the map of Sylvarant that was laid across a flat tree stump. After crossing over from Tethe'alla, the group had made their way to the Ossa Trail, as it was a safe location to fly near as very few travelers made their way across it. Upon landing, they had immediately begun brainstorming ideas for trying to locate Aska, while Lloyd set to the task of turning their Linkite fruit into an instrument. "Do we even know where to start?"

Raine racked her brain for what information she could recall about Aska's legend. "The legend about Aska, from what I can remember, read as such:" she paused to take a breath before reciting, "'Lo, the winged bird of light, Luna's companion, soaring across the clear skies. Never ceasing, never ending flight, fighting darkness to save the world from its plight. Bring forth thine Linkite shells and hold them to the sky, to give Aska reason to fly." She finished and the group mulled over the meaning of the words of the legend. "We obviously know that Aska is here in Sylvarant, and that his presence is always found in the sky. We also know that the sound of a Linkite tree can call him from his flight. However, we have no tree, and only one fruit with which to try and call him." Raine pointed down on the map to where the Ossa Trail was marked before continuing.

"We also know that since this is where a Linkite Tree used to stand, Aska is certain to visit here more likely than anywhere else. The only issue with this is the timing; we have no idea if he has already passed here and is on his way throughout the rest of the world, or if he would even respond to the Linkite Flute should we play it." Raine finished and sighed, running a hand through her white hair.

"I'm certain he'll respond to the sound of the flute. It's mentioned in every tale we had of Aska, so it only makes sense for him to be drawn to it. But you are right about trying to get him to hear it. Unless we have some way to amplify the sound, Aska may not even hear it if he flies over us." Sheena said.

Lloyd paused in his efforts and voiced his thoughts. "We have the Rheairds. Could we fly with the Linkite fruit and play as we fly? We can easily fit two people on one Rheaird."

Zelos raised an eyebrow at this plan. "So what, we hope that he's flying nearby and he hears the music? The chances of catching him with it are slim, if anything. Do we not have anything better?"

Lloyd's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "That's all we have." He stood up and walked around, scratching at his head. For all his knowledge of the past, Lloyd wasn't sure what to do at this point. He knew that before, they used a combination of Gnome, Sylph, and the various materials needed to not just recreate the Linkite Tree, but to reach Aska. Here and now, they only had the fruit, and he knew it would be more time lost if they went after Sylph now. He wasn't even sure they would be up to taking on the trio representing the element of wind. Before, they had Regal and Presea with them as well. They'd be short two fighters.

'_I wonder where those two are now…Presea was in the city of Meltokio when we did this the first time around…Regal was in the jails. Would they be alright with the city in chaos? What if they're hurt? What if they…' _Lloyd stopped that train of thought. He didn't want to even consider the possibility of them being harmed. '_Focus on what's in front of you, Lloyd. You need to find Aska. You have the Linkite nut to craft an instrument. Now you need to have Aska hear it so you can bring him to Luna. So, how to reach a bird of light that flies all across the world?' _Lloyd stopped and went over again in his mind what he did before. His eyes surveyed the world around him, drawn to the high peaks of the Ossa trail that lay beyond their current position.

A sudden thought struck his mind. It was something he remembered in geography, one of Raine's lessons that Lloyd had somewhat listened to. "Professor, I have a question." Raine's eyes shifted to her student as he looked at her. "What is it, Lloyd?"

"When one stands at the top of a mountain, what is it like?" Lloyd's question seemed out of the blue. But, being the Professor, Raine immediately sought to teach.

"Well, there are several differences between what it's like at sea level and at the elevation of a mountain peak. The temperature drops immensely, depending on how high up you go. It's the reason why some mountain peaks are coated with snow even in times of spring. Wildlife thins out, with only the most resolute or adapted choosing to remain. The atmosphere thins out, making it harder to breathe, while chilling winds bite at you and make it even colder." Raine paused to breathe, but Lloyd cut her off.

"That last part, about the wind. How strong are they?" Raine blinked, but closed her eyes in thought before opening again to answer.

"Well, as I said, they can vary, but for certain they are stronger than what we would usually feel here on the ground. Some say they can get as strong as a hurricane or…" Raine trailed off, her eyes narrowing. Lloyd could tell she was catching on.

"We need something to carry the sound to reach Aska. And sound is carried by the wind, right?" Realization struck Raine's face. "So what if what we need to do is…"

"…play the music from atop the highest peak, so that the winds would carry the sound the farthest…Lloyd, that's genius! That's exactly what we need!" the Professor's eyes lit up in glee at the idea. "We'll take the instrument to the highest peak and play it from there. The chance of Aska hearing it are much greater there than anywhere else. But where to go?"

Genis took this time to speak up. "What about Hima? We were able to see the Tower of Salvation best from there, not to mention how windy it was the last time we visited there." He shivered as he recalled cursing his lack of proper clothing for the mountain, as well as riding the dragons to the Tower. Shorts and a t-shirt really do not make for mountain material.

"Hey, yeah! Hima would be perfect for reaching Aska!" Sheena took to the plan as well. "And with the Rheairds, we can fly straight there." She pointed at the map and drew a line from the Ossa trail to the marker for Hima. "It wouldn't take us but an hour at the most if we fly northeast from here to there."

"Now see, that's the kind of spirit I like to hear from my hunnies!" Zelos said. "In fact, I think a celebratory smooch is in order!" Zelos moved over to try and sweep Sheena off her feet, but found nothing but air awaiting him. "Hmm?" Keeping his lips in a pursed state, he turned to see everyone walking off to a clearing to fly off to Hima. "Another chance missed…but I shall prevail yet!" he raced after them.

* * *

**Skies over Hima**

The residents of Hima were astounded to witness several crafts flying overhead. Some thought of them as a new breed of birds that had appeared from the other side of Sylvarant, off of one of the uncharted islands that sailors kept clear away from. Others thought they were a creation of the Desians, sent to spy on potential new victims. Lloyd and co. knew that it would be best to not land at the village, though, if just to avoid questions of how the Chosen had gotten her hands on such, literally, out-of-this-world transportation. "Make sure to keep away from the village. I don't know how they would react to a Summon Spirit appearing before their eyes." Lloyd called back to the rest of the group. They nodded and drifted away from the small village to the more desolate mountaintops that were unoccupied by any civilization. Hopping off of his Rheaird, Lloyd found himself having to brace his feet as the wind was indeed strong here. His scarf-tails were whipping behind him viciously.

"Have we got everyone here?" He had to yell to be heard over the wind. His question was soon answered as the rest of the group landed and walked to his position. "Ok, we're here. All we have to do now is play and cross our fingers." He pulled out the Linkite fruit, now crafted into the shape of a pan flute. "Whose gonna play the music though?"

Everyone paused at the question. It seemed that they'd neglected that small detail in their plans. "Does anyone have any talent for music? I know I taught it some in school, but I could never play it myself…" Raine asked aloud.

Genis stepped up and held out his hand. "I can do it. I used to play flute back when we still lived in Iselia, when Raine was just starting as a teacher. It was something to pass the time before I met you, Lloyd."

Lloyd's eyes widened as he realized Genis had never told him such before. "I didn't know you liked playing with music, Genis. Anytime I saw you, your nose was in a book."

Genis snorted. "That's because one of us had to actually study to learn in class while the other copied notes."

Lloyd sweatdropped and the rest of the group shared a small laugh as Genis handled the flute, looking it over before he put it to his mouth to play. He tested it with a few soft notes before taking a deep breath and moving into a melody that made its way through the whistling wind around them. Lloyd glanced to Raine and saw her smiling at her little brother, her eyes revealing her joy at seeing her brother demonstrate such a skill. Even Kratos was impressed by the young mage's skill with the instrument. '_He reminds me of Mithos when we first met…Martel knows how many years ago it was.'_ The mercenary thought to himself as Genis continued for a solid two minutes before finishing a final note.

Lloyd had to snap himself into reality as he realized Genis had stopped. "Genis…that was amazing!" he praised as he broke into applause. Raine clapped as well, much more enthused with the performance as the rest of his friends followed suit. Genis was blushing a light red as he took in all the praise. "You guys are too nice. It wasn't anything that special." He did his best to downplay their compliments.

"On the contrary, I was quite impressed. It's been some time since someone has played such a song for me to hear." A deeply-toned voice rang through the winds, and Lloyd turned behind him to see the large winged form of Aska standing before them, his twin heads both facing Genis.

"A-Aska! You heard the song!" Genis exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course I did, child. You brought forth the sound of the Linkite tree to my ears. There is nowhere in the world that can hide that sound from me." His heads shifted to take in the entire group. "Now of course, I must ask you why you seek me. Those who play the song of the Linkite Tree call me for a dire need. So what ails you?"

"We need your help, as well as that of Luna's. It's a long story, but I know that in order to have Luna help us, you must be present with her as well." Sheena answered.

Aska craned one head to face her while the other looked off in the distance. "I see…you must be the Summoner that Undine spoke of. You seek our aid through a pact to have the right of summoning."

"You know who I am?" Sheena was surprised that her identity was known to Aska. "What did Undine say?"

"Only that a summoner of Mizuho had formed a pact with her, and had passed her test through…external circumstances. I believe she made note of Lord Vulcan vouching for you?" She nodded as she recalled meeting the massive deity. "I see. That is indeed interesting. To be contacted by one of the elders in this time…hmm…" Both heads converged together and closed their eyes in thought. The bird of light went quiet for a time, causing Lloyd to sweatdrop as he looked on.

"Um…Aska?" The swordsman interrupted the silence and was rewarded with a snort as Aska startled.

"Forgive me, swordsman. I was lost in my thoughts, a common occurrence for one with two heads." The joke made the spirit laugh, while the group only sweatdropped more.

'_Is he really this light-hearted on a daily basis? I was expecting him to be more…serious…'_ Lloyd thought to himself.

"I have decided to heed your call, summoner. I will fly to Luna's Seal, and we shall hear your request there. But be swift! We will not wait for long." Aska stated before taking flight again, kicking up dust as he flew away.

Lloyd watched him go before turning to the rest of the group. "Well, that went well. I guess we should head for the Tower of Mana now…" he sighed suddenly causing Sheena to arch an eyebrow. "What is it, Lloyd?"

"We have to climb all those stairs again…" Lloyd remarked. Sheena couldn't help but laugh at his defeated look. "You do remember we have the Rheairds, right? We don't have to go through all those floors again." She smiled as she watched Lloyd comprehend her words. "…you forgot we had the Rheairds, didn't you?"

"Hey, when you do something the first time around, you get used to doing it that way…" Lloyd stated, looking away to hide his embarrassment.

Sheena could only laugh as she patted Lloyd on the back before pulling out her Rheaird. "Come on, Lloyd, let's get going. We have a Summon Spirit waiting on us." At this, the rest of the group took off and made way for the largest building in Sylvarant save for the Tower of Salvation.

* * *

**Roof of Tower of Mana-Luna's Seal**

Lloyd was the first to land again, followed by the rest of the group as the Rheairds shrank to their packaged forms. "Well, here we are…" Genis said, looking around at the view given by the massive height of the Tower of Mana's summit. "I still remember when we first came through here…"

"Indeed. The guardian was most troublesome, but nothing we couldn't handle."Kratos recalled the fight with the beast, particularly the powerful hoof to the shield he'd taken to guard for Lloyd when he had been knocked off balance. It served as an example for Lloyd's lessons following the battle.

"So you have arrived. I am glad that you are sincere in your wishes to meet with Luna and I. Had you not, you would've faced a very dire fate." Aska's voice rang out, and Lloyd turned to see Aska standing to the side by the seal, watching them.

"What do you mean?" Zelos questioned. "Has someone broken a promise to meet you before?"

"One could say that. And needless to say, I saw to their own ends. But that is a tale for another time. Luna comes now, prepare yourselves." As if on cue, a bright orb of light made itself known to the adventurers, emerging from the altar and levitating before them before taking shape. When the light had dimmed away, Luna appeared in all her glory, seated on her translucent moon. Aska bowed both heads in a gesture of welcome. "Lady Luna, it is good to see you once more. You're as radiant as ever."

Luna turned and her face broke into a wide smile at seeing her wayward companion. "Aska! It is indeed a pleasure to see you again. It's been too long." She turned to greet the group and beamed. "And I remember you as well, travelers. You came to my seal once before, and bested my guardian. Though I did not expect to see you again after that. Many of the other Chosen have followed your same path, yet never returned."

"You could say that we're stronger than the rest. We've come here to ask you for help, Luna." Sheena stated as she stepped forward. "Right now, we need to enter the Temple of Darkness, Shadow's domain, to speak with him. But to reach him, we have to get past the darkness within the temple that prevents us from entering. So, we've come to form a pact with you to help us." Sheena finished her explanation. Luna took this in to ponder as she looked to Aska.

"What say you, my guardian of the skies? Are they worthy of being tested?" Aska bowed his heads in thought before speaking.

"They sought me out first before coming to you, milady. From my first impressions, they seem sincere. They even managed to call to me through the Linkite Tree's fruit. Only those truly devoted to finding the Summon Spirit of Light would know to find both of us."

She nodded at this and turned back to the group. "If Aska is willing to give you the chance, then so shall I. But be warned, you must face us both and meet our challenge if you seek our pact. Know it will not come easy." She warned them.

"We've come this far, haven't we? It'd be cowardly of us to run now." Zelos stated as he drew his sword and shield out.

"That's right. We're ready for anything, so long as we stick together!" Colette pulled out her chakrams as her wings flashed into place.

Luna smiled at their determination. "So be it then. Let us begin!" She raised her staff causing a massive glowing orb to gather at its tip before rising above her. Lloyd's attention was drawn to it as it levitated above them before coming to a stop, giving off enough light to be a pseudo-sun for the clear sky. When it did little else, Lloyd blinked in realization, but too slow to react before he felt a mass tackle into him and knock him off his feet. He soared through air before rolling on the ground, coming to a stop against the ledge of the roof.

"What the heck?" Lloyd got up after getting over the shock of flying, looking to where he was and seeing Aska standing in a combat pose, wings outstretched and necks strained forward, glaring him down. "You didn't think I would just sit to the side, did you human? You face both her and me." Aska gloated before taking flight again. He started to circle around the roof in a wide range, looking for another opportunity.

Lloyd couldn't help but to smirk. It was the thrill of a good fight that entered every swordsman, and he was no exception to it. Standing, Lloyd drew his blades and looked to Luna, who was fighting off Zelos and Kratos dual attacks with her staff. She had blocked them both and stuck her staff to her side before spinning rapidly, causing the two to duck back to avoid having their heads bashed in. She then vanished in a splash of light as Sheena tried to strike her from behind, reappearing on the other side of the rooftop.

Genis was starting up his spells and would get them halfway prepared, but every time he moved to strike, Aska would swoop in to knock him off balance and remove his concentration, losing track of the spell. Fortunately, Genis had taught himself to resume spell flow when interrupted, and pulled off an impressive Air Thrust that caused Aska to swerve to avoid the deadly slashes of wind. "You can't get me that easy!" the mage taunted.

"Maybe not I, little one, but you forget another!" Aska answered to Genis' confusion. He was soon enlightened however as an orb of light suddenly surrounded him. "Photon!" Luna called out, and Genis was struck by the light spell, bringing him to his knees at the sudden pain.

"Dammit, we need a plan! We're gonna get picked to shreds otherwise!" Zelos called out as he shielded a blow from Aska's talons. "And I have no intention of being bird food! Light Spear!" He slashed at Aska in a circular motion, managing to score a blow against the divine bird. He screeched and fell back before he could take any more damage.

"Right. They want to play, we'll play! Zelos, Sheena, you're with me. We'll take on Luna. Kratos, Genis, Colette, and Raine, you go after Aska. Fight range with range!" Lloyd said, moving the rest into action. Both Luna and Aska observed this and acknowledged the soundness of his idea. But the pair knew they needed to step up their game as well. Aska changed his flight pattern and began to bob and dive through the air, gaining momentum as well as making himself a harder target to hit.

Luna, meanwhile, stared down her opponents and smiled. "So who will fight first? Perhaps the red-haired swordsman?" she taunted.

Zelos huffed and looked away, taking a dramatic pose. "It goes against my every principle to strike a beautiful woman, but if it must be done, then so be it!" Lloyd and Sheena sweatdropped as Zelos answered Luna's taunt. He lashed out with his sword and tried to weave his way in to score a blow, but Luna simply parried him away using her staff. Seeing an opening, Luna struck with the base of her staff at Zelos' side, stunning him before knocking him away.

Stumbling up, Zelos turned to his two partners. "What, no support?" Zelos was answered by two deadpan "no's", causing him to weep comically. "But why?"

"Well, it was obvious she was taunting you…" Lloyd said as he scratched the side of his head.

"…and she also is a lot stronger than she looks. You should remember she's a summon spirit and not your average woman." Sheena shook her head at the Chosen's tactics.

Zelos had to concede both had good points. "Fair enough. So, let's try again, with gusto!" He shot back up and took a ready stance. Lloyd and Sheena followed suit and all three charged at her, causing the spirit's smile to widen. The trio then suddenly split off, Zelos and Lloyd to the side while Sheena leapt overhead. Luna hadn't expected for the summoner to try such a direct tactic, more so when a paper tag attached itself to her forehead. "Power Seal Pinion!" Sheena made a gesture with her hand as the seal activated, and Luna felt her body become lighter.

Lloyd leapt up and used his Tiger Rage to attack from above while Zelos charged in from below with a Super Sonic Thrust. Luna did a quick evaluation and favored avoiding being skewered instead of a few cuts. She lashed out and knocked away Zelos' blade, but felt her skin sting as Lloyd's blades connected. She grimaced and swiveled on her moon to fight him off, but was greeted instead with Sheena's Pyre Seal. The kinetic energy released blasted her off and away, knocking her to the ground as her moon clattered beside her.

"Ugh…impressive. You certainly know to take advantage in terms of numbers." She groaned.

* * *

**Aska vs. Genis/Raine/Colette/Kratos**

The divine bird of light quickly banked to avoid another lightning bolt that flared his way. He had to give the twin swordsman's idea credit: focusing his ranged allies against him was a smart plan He was having more trouble with trying to move in to strike, as every dive he attempted so far was greeted with a blast of light, fire, and electricity, as well as the blonde Chosen's sharp chakrams. Twice already, he's lost some of his feathers to the circular weapons. But the fact remained that they still have the same flaw as any ranged opponent: they could only endure so much damage before being down for the count. A more direct approach was needed, he decided, and picked up his pace as a plan was formed.

"We can't seem to land a solid hit on him no matter what we throw at him! He can dodge every shot!" Genis exclaimed in frustration as Aska ducked below a blast of lightning from the mage. He turned to his sister to see her doing watching with narrowed eyes on the divine bird. "Sis, is there anything you can do to help?"

Raine shook her head. "Unless you want me to boost his strength, there's little much I can do. He's a light-based being, and all my offensive spells are of light. It might be better if I go and assist Lloyd and his team." Genis thought on this and decided to go with it. Raine raced off to go help the fight against Luna while the midget mage tried to solve his dilemma.

"Try to predict where he will be, Genis. Our attacks thus far have been where he is at the moment, giving him the opportunity to dodge." Kratos said as he charged up another Fireball spell. Watching Aska, Kratos aimed his magic for where he predicted the bird would fly across a few moments after he fired. Raising his hand, he released the three flame orbs and was met with success as they each impacted, singing Aska's feathers. "You see? No enemy can dodge forever."

Genis saw this and concentrated on one of his more massive lightning spells, Thunder Blade, to try and hit Aska. His opponent sensed his mana gather and took this chance to strike. Suddenly diving, Aska aimed for a target he envisioned on Genis' location, with Genis directly on the bull's eye mark. Colette saw this and followed suit to try and intervene, but Aska foresaw this, and counted on it. He tucked his wings in to his body and turned himself into a living projectile, gaining speed and force.

His increase in speed was enough to give Kratos pause as he realized the summon spirit's plan. "Genis, move! He's going for you!" The midget mage paused in his casting to see Aska approaching and turned to move back from his position. His short legs stumbled as he ran, causing him to fall. He closed his eyes as he waited for pain to arrive, only to feel a large gust of wind wash over him. Chancing a look, Genis opened his eyes to see Aska before him, wings outstretched and both heads' eyes closed. He sensed mana gathering in front of him, and looked to see a ball of light forming between Aska's talons.

"Sunshine Nova!" Aska bellowed, as the ball expanded and then swarmed over Genis, blasting him with wave after wave of light energy. Genis was picked up off the ground by the force of the blast and sent flying back.

"Genis!" Colette yelled as she moved to help her friend, only to be knocked back as Aska whirled about and bashed her away with his wing. Colette flipped head over feet twice as she crashed to the earth. "Ow…" she moaned as her head rang from the impact.

"Come now, is this the best you can offer? Perhaps you've overestimated your abilities?" Aska taunted. Genis stumbled and stood up after regaining his bearings and shook off his confusion.

"Or maybe you've underestimated ours, or did you forget to take count?" his reply confused Aska when he suddenly realized he'd lost track of the magic swordsman. Turning to his left, he saw Kratos finishing an Earth-styled spell, before pointing two fingers at the ground beneath Aska's feet. "Grave!" he yelled, and the runes surrounding Kratos vanished into the roof. Aska was too slow to react in time to avoid the large slab of rock that shot through the roof and into his chin, disorienting him and making him stumble back. He extended his wings to take flight, only to have two more slabs appear and ram themselves into his wings, causing him to screech in pain. A final slab shot from the ground and knocked him back again, and the divine bird stumbled as he tried to regain his bearings.

"Never turn your back on an opponent, Aska. Perhaps it's you who should stop overestimating yourself?" The Seraphim smirked as he returned Aska's taunt to him.

When he was able to think again, Aska shook himself before cringing in pain. The spell had damaged his wings. He could still fight with them, but flying for now was out of the question. "Well played, Kratos Aurion. You countered me and caught me off guard. I apologize for my arrogance. I will fight you properly now." He bowed in apology, causing Genis to face-fault.

"He's trying to kill us, yet he apologizes for getting sloppy during a fight…I don't understand people anymore…" the mage muttered as Kratos and Aska began to square off.

* * *

**Luna vs. Lloyd/Zelos/Sheena/Raine**

Luna had regained her balance and was atop her moon once again, her opponents being kept at a distance thanks to her spell work. Multiple Photons and Rays had forced them to stop trying to get close to her, as she seemed to be able to cast such spells with little effort on her part. "Ok, we need a new plan. She's obviously not letting us get close to her anymore, so what can we do?" Sheena asked. She was starting to wear down after dodging so many spells, some getting close enough to singe her clothing.

"Well, if she wants to fight with ranged, let's fight with ranged! Zelos, do you know any of the Demon Fang techniques?" Lloyd turned to the red-headed Chosen to see him thinking.

"The best I can do is the second tier, Fierce Demon Fang. Beyond that, I've got nothing. What's your idea?" he asked.

"Simple. Me and Sheena attack from afar to draw her attention while you get closer. Once you get close enough, we hit her with a double Fierce Demon Fang and see if we can knock her down again. We might even be able to get her to surrender if we move quickly enough." Lloyd's plan was solid, but Zelos found it had one gaping flaw in it.

"Uh, Lloyd? I don't know if you forgot, but she's currently levitating…above the ground?" The Chosen sweatdropped as Lloyd suddenly laughed and scratched at the back of his head.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot that part…" Both Sheena and Zelos sighed at this. They forgot that Lloyd tended to be slightly forgetful of details at times.

"So what can we do?" Zelos questioned. '_I could try to use my magic to attack her, but she'd be able to counter easily. We need some sort of unstoppable force to get to her…' _A voice behind Zelos called to them, and he turned to see Raine approaching. "Professor! Perfect, you can help us!"

Lloyd and Sheena raised their eyebrows at this. "And what exactly can she do to help us?" Sheena questioned. "Last I checked, her spells were all light spells."

"Indeed, that's true. What did you have in mind, Zelos?" Raine asked.

Zelos smirked as a mischievous gleam in his eye appeared. "Well, you see, Professor, while we were fighting, I happened to notice that Luna's attacks were damaging the rooftop." Zelos waved his hand behind him to gesture to the smoking craters. "And the thought occurred to me…she's damaging an awful lot of this temple just to fight us, right?"

Raine nodded slowly; still unsure of the direction this was going. "Now, from what Lloyd and Sheena have told me, this was built a long time ago. I mean, a real long time ago. So wouldn't that qualify this place as being…" Zelos paused to move closer to Raine and whisper to her, "…a ruin?"

Lloyd flinched and suddenly moved away from Raine, Sheena following suit. For Raine, time seemed to stop as Zelos words rang through her ears. "This is…a ruin…a priceless, marvelous ruin…" she muttered aloud, her eyes starting to gleam as her pupils began to shrink. Her hand around her staff was starting to grip it harder, the knuckles turning white.

"That's right, a priceless, monumental ruin, full of information and wonders. And Luna's been doing nothing but destroying it this whole time. So what should we do about that?" Zelos added the final bait to watch and see what would happen, and was not disappointed. Raine began to shiver as she processed Zelos' words.

Luna looked on in curiosity and wonder at her opponents. Aska was holding himself well in the background, fending off Kratos' sword attacks with his wings. But her opponents seemed to be locked in discussion as to what to do. This would be an opportune time to strike, she knew, but Luna was a passive spirit for a reason. She wouldn't invoke her powers unless provoked into doing so. Her curiosity spiked when she saw the white-haired half-elven woman approach and the red-headed swordsman whisper to her. '_What in Martel's name are they planning?_' She soon had her answer as suddenly the Professor leapt forward, growling as if she were a fearsome beast.

"Such a brutish way of fighting…I suppose you had no other option." She raised her staff and called down a ray of pure light to intervene between her and Raine. "Judgment Ray!" the beam appeared and struck the ground, Luna holding the spell as she drove it towards Raine's direction. This seemed to only impassion the woman further, much to Luna's confusion. "Perhaps she's decided to give up?"

She was surprised however when Raine suddenly dodged the ray at the last second and kept running towards her. "You should not be this fast! You are no warrior! You are a healer!" Luna's exclamation was followed by several bursts of light, a Ray spell she tried to use to divert Raine away. It did little good as she weaved her way through the bursts to come closer. "You hurt my ruins! Do you have any idea how old this structure is? The construction materials used?" Raine bellowed. Her eyes were completely whitened out, and she swung her staff like a madwoman. Luna raised her own and blocked several assaults by Raine in her madness.

"Zelos, what did you do?" Sheena asked, mystified at the sight before her. The Professor, one of the most calm and collected individuals she knew, was going stir crazy and fighting the Summon Spirit of Light in hand to hand combat.

"Simple: I told her that Luna's magic was destroying a valuable archaeological ruin. The rest is all her." The red-headed Chosen looked on at his masterpiece, though he noted to himself he should take care to never make Raine this angry. She seemed close to frothing at the mouth.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Luna's limit had been reached, her patience now extinguished as she finally grabbed Raine's staff, hoisting her up into the air before throwing her back.

"Eh?" Raine snapped out of her Ruin mode to see herself flying through the air.

"Ray!" Luna's voice called out, and a bright orb of light appeared from the sky before multiple beams of light shot in a large radius around her. Several impacted the Professor, who yelled in pain before hitting the ground. She rolled a couple times before coming to a stop, unconscious.

"Raine/Professor!" Lloyd, Sheena, and Zelos raced to the Professor, Zelos performing the basic First Aid he knew to try and heal any wounds she'd sustained.

"She's alright, just knocked out. But damn, she had some fight in her, huh?" Zelos pondered aloud. His response was a bash on his head from Sheena. "Next time, try not to make a plan that gets our friends hurt!" she growled out before hoisting Raine up and moving to get her to safety.

"This has been…entertaining, to say the least…" Lloyd turned back to see Luna looking upon them with slight pity. "…but this ends here now. You have tried and failed. Now face the purity of the heaven's light! Aska!" she called to her partner, who lifted his heads in response and ran to stand at her side, leaving the rest of the party to give chase and stand beside Lloyd.

Luna stuck one of her hands out beside her, palm upwards, while Aska held his wing above it. Bright light began to emanate from them, causing the group to shield their eyes. "We need a plan here! Any ideas?" Lloyd shouted to his friends beside him.

Sheena racked her mind before settling on one last chance. "I have one, but it's a long shot!" Taking a breath to compose her shaking form, Sheena called upon her mana as she reached out to the one last being she could call on to help. She raised her hands and held them in the gesture she'd been taught for summoning. "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist! Come, Undine!" She held her breath as the connection was made to the summoning realm, and she sighed in relief as she felt Undine respond positively. A moment later, she emerged, at Sheena's side. "What is thy bidding, Summoner?"

"Can you use your water to shield us or reflect Luna's spell?" Sheena asked hurriedly, able to now feel the mana rolling off of Luna and Aska's gathering power.

"I will try, Summoner. Stand behind me, and I will shield you to the best of my ability." The group shifted quickly to stand behind the Maiden of the Mist, who began to conjure all the water she could muster. At such a height above the ground, it would be difficult, but she wasn't the Summon Spirit of Water for nothing. Sheena turned to Genis and said, "I need your strongest ice spell you can cast, when I say so, use it! Got it?" The mage nodded and went to work, ignoring the drain he'd been feeling from such a prolonged encounter.

"Whatever you plan, it will not work. Now, be purified! Solar Nova!" Luna bellowed as she released her hold on the spell she'd been creating, launching it at the group. The pure light took the form of Aska, though there were no distinct features save for his two heads. Wings spread wide; it gave a shriek of attack and rocketed towards them. Undine, seeing the attack being used, coalesced the water she'd gathered into a solid mass, converting it into a pseudo-shield.

"Summoner! This shield will not hold against such an intense strike. If we'd had the aid of my sister of Ice, perhaps, but such is not our luck." Undine warned.

"I'm well aware of that. Curve the shield into a shape we can use to reflect the attack. Genis will provide the ice we'll need." Sheena ordered, to which Undine nodded. "Understood, Summoner. I wish you luck, to the mage as well."

Time seemed to slow as the Solar Nova approached. Sheena timed out the next few seconds in her head, waiting for the distance to be right before she turned to Genis and yelled, "Now!" Hearing the command, Genis raised his kendama and aimed at the water shield Undine was holding. "Ice Tornado!" he yelled, and harsh winds swirled around the shield, turning it from a liquid to a solid in moments.

"What?" Luna exclaimed in shock. But it was too late to try and recall her attack, so she could only watch. The bird of light impacted the shield, and Undine buckled under the pressure, but held her ground. With a roar of ferocity, Undine pushed back, sending the attack flying back towards Luna and Aska, both of whom were now amazed. Aska, thinking quickly, suddenly dove forward in front of Luna and raised both his wings to defend.

The group watched as Aska took the attack head-on, grunting as he skidded along the ground. The attack finally faded out, allowing everyone to see properly again. Exhausted from bearing the force of such an attack, Aska sighed and fell to the ground. It was too much to take, even if he was an element of Light. The sheer force of the attack was still enough to overwhelm him. "Forgive me…Luna…" he whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.

Luna looked on in shock at her fallen ally before turning to see the rest of the group, weary but still ready to continue. She evaluated her chances without Aska's assistance, and found them to be substantially less possible for victory. "It would seem I must retract my last words, Summoner…I admit, I did not expect for you to call upon another of my kin for aid. You surprise me. As a result, I've lost my ally and face being outnumbered." She lowered herself to the ground and bowed her head. "I admit defeat."

The group let out a collective sigh as they let down their guard. "That was ridiculous…" Genis sighed as he plopped to the ground, kendama beside him. "I'm hoping that we can have some peace before we get into another huge fight?"

Lloyd laughed and nodded in agreement. "We all need some rest after this. Kratos, is the Professor alright?"

The mercenary had the Professor hoisted up, feeding her a Life Bottle to bring her back to consciousness. It took a moment, but she spluttered to life, spitting out the remnants of the elixir. "What...what happened?" she coughed out. She looked up to see a relieved Genis who ran over and helped her to stand. "Is everyone ok?"

"I think we should be asking you that, Professor. You were the one who was knocked out." Lloyd said causing the Professor to recall just what had happened. She felt herself blush in embarrassment at remembering her fury of protecting "her" ruins.

"Ok, let's finish up here and get out. I need food and a good Inn after this." Sheena stated as she approached Luna, who had regained her calm demeanor and smiled at her. "State thine pact, Summoner."

Sheena took a breath before speaking clearly. "I am Sheena! I ask that thou annulst thine former pact, and establish a new one with me!"

Luna nodded. "And on what vow would you form our pact?"

"I vow to use your power to aid and protect the innocent who are harmed under the reign of Cruxis, as well as all others who would seek me or my friends' aid." Sheena stated. Luna nodded, and she and Aska vanished into a small orb of light that hovered to Sheena before entering her body, leaving her with a shining Topaz jewel in hand.

She smiled at this before realizing that she could hear applause behind her. Turning, she saw Lloyd and the others clapping for her, Zelos giving a loud whistle to add more to her. She blushed, but gave a dramatic bow before laughing with the group.

"Time for us to head for an Inn. I am beat!" Zelos said, stretching his arms behind his head. "You guys put yourselves through too much if this is a day to day thing."

Before anyone could reply, a bright ring of light surrounded them, causing everyone to jump. "Oh, what now?" Zelos complained before the light began to grow brighter.

"Wait a minute, this is…" Sheena whispered before looking to Lloyd. "Lloyd! It's happening again!"

"I know! Just stay calm!" he exclaimed as the circle grew closer.

"What? What do you mean, this happened before?" Zelos questioned, but he would receive no answer as the group suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving the rooftop empty and smoking from the battle.

* * *

**And we're done! Again, I apologize for the long wait on this one. I had trouble coming up with a creative way for the fight to go down, but I'm satisfied with how this was written. Also, fear the Ruin mode Raine. Fear her!**

**So what will the group have to endure now? They've been looking for answers on D.L, who better to get them from than Vulcan?**

**I'd also like to take a second to ask all of you to read Tales of a Steamworld as well, as I'll be updating it after I upload this chapter. As I said before, I intend to have plenty of fun with it, and would love to hear any feedback I can get on the story. So please, read and review!**


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